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IN   ANSWER  TO  THE  INQUIRY, 

What  is  the  viind  of  Christ  with  respect  to  Christians  adorn- 
ing their  persons  toith  jewelry  and  gay  and  cosily 
attire  ?  and  what  is  the  effect  of  such  adorn- 
ment upon  the  Individual^  the  Church, 
and  the  World  ? 


By  rev.  S.  H.  PLATT, 

AUTHOll  OF  "THE    GIPT  OF   POWEE  ;     OR,     TUE   SrEOIAI.   INFLUENCES  OF   THE 
HOLY   SPIRIT,   THE   NEED  Of  THE   CHUKCH." 


CINCINNATI : 
AMERICAN  REFORM  TRACT  AND  BOOK  SOCIETY. 

1858. 


Premiiini  of  $100  Offered. 

I  am  authorized  by  a  friend  of  Christ  in  Connecticut, 
to  offer  a  premium  of  One  Hundred  Dollars,  for  the 
best  MS.  to  make  an  18mo.  book  of  120  to  140  pages, 
on  the  following  subject:  "What  is  the  mind  of  Christ 
with  respect  to  Christians  adorning  their  persons  with 
jewelry  and  gay  and  costly  attire?  And  what  is  the 
effect  of  such  adorning  on  the  Individual,  the  Church, 
and  the  World  ?  " 

The  work  to  be  adapted  to  Sabbath  Schools,  and  pub- 
lished for  a  Sabbath  School  Library  Book.  MSS.  to  be 
sent  on  or  before  the  1st  of  November,  1857.  The  pre- 
mium will  be  awarded  by  a  Committee  of  Ladies. 

Geo.  L.  Weed, 
Cor.  Sec.  Am.  R.  T.  and  B.  Society.,  CiJicinnad,  Ohio. 


In  response  to  the  above  offer,  a  number  of  manu- 
scripts were  received  and  submitted  to  the  ladies  of  the 
committee,  whose  report  is  given  below. 

PREMIUM  AWARDED. 

The  Committee  on  awarding  $100  to  the  best  Manu- 
script on  ''  the  mind  of  Christ  with  respect  to  Christians 
adorning  their  persons  with  jewelry  and  gay  and  costly 
attire,  and  the  effect  of  such  adorning  on  the  Individual, 
the  Church,  and  the  World," 

Beport,  that  they  have  carefully  examined  the  twenty 
manuscripts  submitted  to  them,  and  concur  in  giving 
preference  to  No.  20,  entitled  "What  is  the  mind  of 
Christ,'  etc.,  believing  that  the  subject  is  fairly  and 
forcibly  discussed  in  that;  and  would  rejoice  to  see  the 
work  placed  in  the  hands  of  every  Mother  and  Daughter 
in  our  country. 


CUEIST   AND   ADORNMENTS. 


More  than  twelve  hundred  3'cars  ago  a 
man  of  commanding  presence,  majestic  aspect, 
and  open  countenance,  "  that  painted  every 
sensation  of  the  soul,"  might  have  been  seen 
fleeing  for  life,  with  a  single  attendant,  from 
the  rock-bound  city  of  Mecca,  in  Arabia. 
Over  nine  weary  miles  had  they  rushed  in 
despairing  haste,  when  the  approach  of  the 
foe  warned  them  that  flight  was  vain.  At 
that  critical  juncture  a  friendl3^  cave  offered 
them  its  shelter,  and  they  hastil}^  concealed 
themselves  within  it.  A  bird  immediately 
alighted  upon  a  shrub  at  the  opening,  from 
which  it  was  frightened  by  the  arrival  of  the 
blood-thirsty  pursuers.  Seeing  the  bird  fly, 
they  inferred  that  if  the  fugitives  had  recently 
entered,  it  would  have  been  driven  away  be- 
fore, and  not  wishing  to  waste  time  in  un- 
necessary  search,   they   passed    on   and    left 

(3) 


CHRIST    AND    ADORNMENTS. 


Mohammed  in  security.  Thus,  the  flight  of 
that  bird  changed  the  destiny  of  the  world.  It 
preserved  the  life  of  the  false  Prophet,  and 
with  him  the  reign  of  the  superstition  which 
ho  established,  and  which,  after  twelve  centu- 
ries of  effort,  has  nearly  as  wide  an  ascendency 
over  the  human  race  as  Christianity  itself. 

This  is  one  of  the  numerous  instances  re- 
corded showing  the  most  intimate  and  impor- 
tant relations  between  things  totally  dissimilar 
and  apparently  disconnected. 

They  reveal  the  fact  that  a  complete  isola- 
tion, such  as  would  exclude  us  from  the 
reciprocal  influence  of  surrounding  circum- 
stances, is  impossible.  They  also  suggest  the 
difiiculty  of  forming  any  probable  estimate  of 
the  results  of  any  event,  however  trivial  in  its 
nature. 

It  is  stated  that  a  Welsh  clergyman  once 
asked  a  little  girl  for  the  text  of  his  last  ser- 
mon. The  child's  only  reply  was  tears.  He 
soon  ascertained  that  she  had  no  Bible  in 
which  to  find  the  text.  Upon  further  inquiry, 
he  learned  that  the  ftimilies  around  were  in 
like  destitution.  This  led  him  to  apply  to  the 
committee  of  the  Tract  Society  in  London,  for 
the  adoption  of  some  means  to  provide  Bibles. 


CHRIST   AND   ADORNMENTS. 


The  result  was  the  formation  of  the  British 
and  Foreign  Bible  Society,  and  through  that, 
of  all  the  other  Bible  Societies  in  the  world. 

Few  would  prophesy  that  the  tears  of  a 
little  girl  would  j^rove  the  prolific  fountain  of 
the  Wor-d  of  Life  to  the  millions  who  have 
been  supplied  by  the  agency  of  Bible  Societies; 
and  fewer  still  would  ever  predict  that  the 
flight  of  a  bird,  so  insignificant  as  a  cause, 
would,  in  its  results,  rear  a  mighty  monument 
of  licentious  superstition  and  cruel  oppression 
over  the  pathway  of  the  ages,  shrouding  the 
hearts  of  myriads  in  its  shadow.  Yet  such 
are  the  strange,  though  not  infrequent  devel- 
opments of  history. 

Around  the  pathway  of  ever}^  one,  a  variety 
of  unexpected  circumstances  start  up  and 
weave  themselves,  whether  we  will  or  not, 
into  the  running  web  of  our  existence,  and 
impart  to  it  more  or  less  of  their  own  charac- 
ter. How  often  does  the  youth  start  upon  the 
journey  of  life  with  his  course  mapped  out 
before  him,  and  with  a  strong  determination 
never  to  swerve  from  his  preconcerted  plans. 
But  some  day  he  forms  a  new  acquaintance, 
hears  of  some  hitherto  unknown  object  of 
desire,  or  is  surrounded  by  some  combination 


6  CHRIST   AND   ADORNMENTS. 


of  uiilooked  for  circumstances,  and  the  whole 
current  of  his  life  is  changed. 

Amid  such  liabilities  we  all  live;  and  were 
our  life  so  pure  that  we  could  turn  all  eifects, 
both  gi-eat  and  small,  by  a  divine  alchemy, 
into  the  pure  water  of  life,  then  were  it  welL 
Eut  our  nature  is  depraved ;  so  depraved  that 
it  needs  not  the  furnace  heat  to  ignite  its  com- 
bustible material,  or  awaken  its  explosive 
power.     A  single  spark  will  do  as  well. 

ISTo  wonder  then,  that,  surrounded  as  we  are 
by  all  existing  agencies  of  evil,  the  law  of  inter- 
influence  that  we  have  stated  becomes  a  means 
of  increasing  our  corruption,  and  spreading 
the  ruin  of  our  sins.  But  while  it  is  thus 
rendered  an  instrument  of  evil,  it  has  also  be- 
come, in  the  hands  of  Divine  mercy,  an  Evan- 
gelist of  good,  for  the  design  of  the  religion  of 
Christ  is  to  purify  man's  character  in  the  nse  of 
the  same  law.  ..."  Even  as  Christ  also 
loved  the  church,  and  gave  himself  for  it,  that 
he  might  sanctify  and  cleanse  it  with  the 
washing  of  water  by  the  word,  that  he  might 
present  it  to  himself  a  glorious  church,  not 
having  spot,  or  wrinkle,  or  any  such  thing; 
but  that  it  should  be  holy  and  without  blem- 
ish," Eph.  v:  26,  27.    Here,  purification  of  the 


CHRIST   AND    ADORNMENTS. 


character  is  expressly  stated  as  the  object  of 
the  atonenieut;  and  as  this  result  can  be  real- 
ized only  in  the  use  of  means,  and  as  all  means 
are  subject  to  the  same  law,  it  follows  that  the 
law  itself  is  subservient  to  that  end. 

Youth,  by  the  impulsiveness  of  their  nature, 
are  peculiarly  exposed  to  the  Avarping  power 
of  surrounding  influences,  so  that  "trifles  light 
as  air"  often  become  the  ponderous  weights 
which,  when  cast  upon  their  life-scales,  decide 
their  future  destiny.  Surely  a  flict  embracing 
such  wide  and  commanding  interests  and  far- 
reaching  consequences,  can  not  be  lightly  re- 
garded by  him  whose  precepts  and  example 
taught  his  disciples  to  "despise  not  the  day 
of  small  things,"  for  "behold  how  great  a  fire  a 
little  matter  kindleth."  The  proposition  may 
now  be  distinctly  stated,  that  whatever  is  em- 
braced by  the  great  law  of  inter-influence  is 
matter  of  interest  to  our  Savior.  And  as  the 
wearing  of  gold  and  costly  attire  is  included, 
we  may  now  ask,  "  What  is  the  mind  of  Christ 
with  respect  to  Christians  adorning  their 
persons  with  jewelry,  and  gay  and  costly 
attire;  and  what  is  the  effect  of  such  adorning 
upon  the  individual,  the  church,  and  the 
world?" 


8  CHRIST   AND    ADORNMENTS. 


The  terms  "gay  und  costly"  are  relative, 
and  take  their  significance  from  the  connection 
in  which  they  stand,  and  the  circumstances  in 
which  they  are  applied.  There  is  a  sense  of 
propriety  in  the  nnperverted  mind,  which  will 
at  once  strike  the  happy  medium  in  any  sup- 
l^osed  practical  case,  without  resort  to  an 
unchangeable  and  unnecessarily  arbitrary  and 
unjust  standard.  Let  it  be  distinctly  under- 
stood then,  at  the  outset,  that  whatever  may 
be  said  in  the  following  pages,  is  directed  to 
the  violations  of  the  rule  of  Christian  propriety, 
(which  rule  itself  recognizes  the  proper  dis- 
tinctions of  rank  and  position,)  and  not  to  in- 
fringements of  some  fancied  law  of  equal  redric- 
tionSy  bringing  all  to  a  common  level  of  uni- 
formity. 

The  use  of  "jewelry  and  gay  and  costly 
attire,"  may  be  attributed  to  three  causes. 
1st.  A  natural  taste  for  them.  2nd.  A  desire 
to  gratify  others.  3rd.  The  supposed  neces- 
sity of  compliance  with  the  imperious  dictates 
of  Fashion. 

In  the  first  case,  in  so  far  as  the  natural 
emotion  itself  is  concerned,  there  may  be 
nothing  voluntary,  and  nothing  wrong;  but 
when  the  taste  is  to  be  gratified,  we  at  once 


CHRIST   AND   ADORNMENTS. 


enter  the  field  of  related  voluntary  action,  and 
consequent  responsibility.  The  rectitude  of 
the  proposed  gratification,  can  not  now  be 
determined  by  the  mere  fact  of  a  desire  for  it, 
or  a  pleasurable  emotion  in  it.  By  the  great 
law  of  inter-influence,  the  intellect  can  not  be 
exercised  without  producing  its  influence 
upon  the  sensibilities  and  the  will.  Neither 
can  either  of  these,  without  affecting  both  the 
others.  So  that  any  exercise  or  development 
of  any  faculty  of  the  mind,  must  produce  a 
corresponding  modification  of  every  other 
foculty.  And  so  interwoven  are  the  mental 
and  moral  in  man's  nature,  that  whatever 
affects  an}^  part  of  one,  is  sure  to  influence  not 
only  its  associated  parts,  but  the  ichole  of  the 
other.  Now  with  respect  to  the  subject 
before  us,  its  lawfulness  can  be  determined 
only  by  a  careful  scrutiny  of  its  bearings 
upon  the  mental  and  moral  nature.  In  itself, 
it  is  an  admiration  of  jewelry  and  costly 
attire,  and  a  desire  to  enjoy  them.  Desire 
always  impels  toward  its  object,  and  if  there 
be  no  opposing  principle,  self-love  unites  in 
the  effort.  For  the  sake  of  the  illustration, 
we  will  suppose  a  colloquy  representing  the 
action  which  each  of  the  mental  powers  and 


10  CHRIST   AND   ADORNMENTS. 


moral  virtues  (which  are  directly  interested) 
may  have  in  the  proposed  gratification. 

Taste.     Those  adornments  are  beautiful ! 

Desire.     I  must  have  them. 

Self  Love.    O !  they  will  make  me  so  happy  I 

Acquisitiveness.  But  they  are  very  expen- 
sive. 

Desire.  No  matter ;  1  must  have  them — 
money  may  as  well  go  in  tliat  w^ay  as  in  any 
other. 

Benevolence.  The  same  amount  charitably 
bestow^ed  w^ould  do  great  good. 

Pride.  Every  bod}^  else  has  them,  and  I 
am  as  good  as  any  one. 

Sympathij.  Widow  Needful's  suifering  babes 
might  be  relieved  by  that  amount. 

Love.  "To  him  that  knoweth  to  do  good, 
and  doeth  it  not,  to  him  it  is  sin." 

Self  Esteem.  This  is  doing  good.  It  is 
making  one's  self  respectable. 

Humility.  I  would  not  "do  evil  that  good 
may  come." 

Approbative?iess.  Becoming  respectable  is 
not  doing  evil.  How  can  I  enjoy  Mrs.  Van- 
ity's society  unless  I  dress  as  she  does  ? 

Cautiousness.  I  fear  the  influence  upon 
others  will  prove  injurious. 


CHRIST   AND    ADORNMENTS.  11 


Selfishness.  Let  others  take  care  of  them- 
selves. Who  's  going  to  be  a  saint  when  all 
the  world  are  sinners  ? 

Love.  I  would  "  do  nothing  whereby  my 
brother  should  offend." 

Bestructiveness.  I  do  n't  care  ;  I  '11  let  Mrs. 
Flauntout  know  that  I  can  appear  as  well  as 
she  can  ! 

Veneration.  It  would  seriously  interfere 
with  my  devotions. 

Desire.  Give  my  wishes  now — take  your 
devotions  afterward. 

Reason.  It  is  too  degrading  to  my  nature 
to  be  tied  down  to  such  miserable  trash!  / 
scorn  it! 

Self  Love.  Ah,  I  see.  I  should  lose  more 
than  I  would  gain  by  it.     jS'o,  it  must  not  be. 

Selfish  Desire.  It  shall  be,  let  the  conse- 
quences be  as  they  may. 

Conscientiousness.  Time  misspent,  money 
wasted,  influence  made  destructive,  devotion 
repressed,  selfishness  stimulated,  reason  de- 
graded.    No,  no,  it  must  not  be  ! 

Perverse  Will.     It  shall  be  ! ! 

The  experience  of  every  one  who  has 
indulged  in  this  practice  may  not  have  been 
in  every  respect  as  here  supposed  ;  but  we  sub- 


12  CHRIST    AND   ADORNMENTS. 


mit  that  in  every  case  originating  in  the  cause 
just  named,  there  are  still  enough  points  of 
resemblance  fully  to  substantiate  our  conclu- 
sion, viz :  that  it  perverts  the  mental,  and 
does  violence  to  the  moral  nature,  and  is 
intrinsically  and  unchangeably  wrong.  It  is 
self  love  degenerated  into  selfishness.  In  a  great 
majority  of  instances,  however,  the  indulgence 
is  not  merel}^  for  its  own  sake,  but  is  auxiliary 
to  some  other  j^urpose.  But  whatever  that 
purpose, — whether  it  be  the  i^leasure  it  would 
afford  others,  or  a  cringing  obedience  to 
Fashion,  the  essential  character  of  the  action 
is  not  changed  thereby.  It  still  bears  the 
reprobation  of  Benevolence,  Sympathy,  Love, 
Humility,  Conscientiousness,  Yeneration,  Rea- 
son, Self  Love,  etc., — each  of  which  occupies  a 
higher  department  of  our  nature  than  do  the 
mental  principles  from  which  this  purpose 
springs,  and  which  must  be  degraded  by  it. 
We  have  no  right  to  disturb  the  balance  of 
our  own  natures,  in  order  to  please  the 
whims,  or  to  respond  to  the  caprices  of  our 
fellow  men.  And  when  it  is  done,  it  is  but 
an  exhibition  of  an  inordinate  approbative- 
ness,  ichich  is  itself  sin  when  allowed  to  push 


CHRIST    AND    ADORNMENTS.  13 


US  to  such  extremes,  and  becomes  Pride  when 
united  with  a  love  for  the  indulgence  itself. 

The  third  cause  assigned  is,  "  The  impe- 
rious dictates  of  Fashion.  But  what  is  this 
Fashion  of  which  we  see  and  hear  so  much, 
and  whose  potent  spell  seems  to  rest  in  hope- 
less tyranny  upon  the  race,  and  yet  of  which 
we  know  so  little  ?  It  seems  to  be  a  general 
court  of  appeals  in  all  matters  of  dress  and 
appearance,  whose  authority  is  readily  admit- 
ted, whose  changeful  freaks  are  heartily 
ridiculed,  save  by  the  devoted  few  who  wor- 
ship most  constantly  at  her  shrine,  and  whose 
sinful  rule  is  deeply  deplored  by  the  good, 
and  vainly  reasoned  against  by  the  philo- 
sophic. But  whence  comes  she,  and  who 
gave  her  the  right  to  rule?  It  matters  not; 
the  right  is  qyestioned  and  denied !  There  is 
not  a  physiological  law  of  our  being,  not  a 
law  of  beauty,  and  scarcely  one  of  modesty, 
that  has  not  been  violated  with  impunity,  and 
there  is  scarcely  an  imaginable  shape  of  de- 
formity which  has  not  been  honored  by  her 
smiles  and  patronage.  Well,  then,  may  all  the 
nobler  feelings  of  our  nature  rise  up  in  indig- 
nant rei^robation  of  her  claims,  and  especially 
in   this   boasted  land  of  liberty,  where  civil 


14  CHRIST   AND    ADORNMENTS. 


freedom  is  the  heritage  of  all,  but  where  this 
social  t^a-anny  binds  upon  us  more  ignomi- 
nious chains  than  ever  kingly  despotism  dared 
to  rivet.  To  be  compelled  to  the  humiliating 
confession,  that  our  free-born  wives  and 
daughters  are  daily  bowing  in  the  most  abject 
and  servile  bondage,  at  the  beck  of  a  clique 
of  the  most  dishonoring  specimens  of  silly 
humanit}^  that  modern  civilization  has  pro- 
duced, amid  the  fetid  moral  atmosphere  and 
polluting  associations  of  Paris,  does  make  our 
republican  blood  boil,  and  forces  from  us  a 
hearty  rebuke  of  the  fawning  and  cringing 
degradations.  Oh,  American  women,  if  you 
will  worship  Fashion,  at  least  let  it  be  a  thing 
of  your  own  creating ! 

Mortifying  and  disgraceful  as  it  is  to  our 
common  humanity,  and  despicable  as  we  feel 
the  slavery  to  be,  we  are  nevertheless  con- 
strained to  admit  its  potency  through  all 
ranks  of  society.  Still,  there  is  reason  enough 
left  amid  the  half  demented  few,  and  common 
sense  enough  yet  remaining  amid  the  deluded 
multitude,  to  allow  one  to  retain  caste  (of 
respectability  at  least),  after  daring  to  en- 
franchise himself  from  such  ignominious 
thralldom.     The  necessity  of  compliance   is, 


CHRIST    AND   ADORNMENTS.  15 


after  all,  but  a  reprehensible  moral  cowardice, 
which  finds  no  justification  at  the  bar  of  rea- 
son, and  meets  the  most  indignant  rebuke  at 
the  hands  of  insulted  and  outraged  morality ; 
while  religion  must  ever  regard  it  with 
implacable  hostility  and  insufferable  disdain. 
We  need  now  only  to  contrast  the  nature  of  this 
indulgence,  as  here  exhibited,  ivith  the  character 
AND  WORK  OF  Christ,  to  prepare  us  to  form 
a  just  estimate  of  his  mind  concerning  it.  Of 
His  character,  the  apostle  has  given  us  this 
brief  but  expressive  portraiture,  Heb.  vii  : 
26.  "  For  such  a  High  Priest  became  us 
who  is  holy,  harmless,  undefiled,  and  separate 
from  sinners.'' 

And  Peter  aids  our  comprehension  of  its 
singular  loveliness,  by  declaring,  "  He  did 
no  sin,  neither  was  guile  found  in  his  mouth.'* 
1  Peter  ii :  22.  ]N"or  was  this  a  sinlessness 
which  attracted  the  attention  of  his  followers 
oi\\y,  but  the  prejudiced  and  priest-trained 
multitude  exclaimed,  "  He  hath  done  all 
things  well."  Mark  vii:  37.  And  even  the 
devils  rendered  their  homage,  in  the  signifi- 
cant declaration,  "I  know  thee,  who  thou  art, 
the  Holy  One  of  God."  Mark  i :  24. 

We  can  scarcely  gaze  upon   a  scene  of  his 


16  CHRIST    AND    ADORNMENTS. 


life,  or  listen  to  un  utterance  of  his  voice,  that 
does  not  tell  us  of  some  exalted  virtue,  or 
shadow  forth  the  workings  of  his  heart  of 
love.  "  I  seek  not  mine  own  glory."  John 
viii :  50.  "  Take  my  yoke  upon  you  and 
learn  of  me,  for  I  am  meek  and  lowly  in  heart." 
Matt,  xi :  29.  These  are  the  affirmations  of  a 
humility  as  profound  as  it  was  natural,  and  as 
natural  as  it  was  rare.  His  night-long  prayers 
(Luke  vi :  12),  upon  the  lone  mountain,  seclu- 
ded from  the  bustle  of  the  world  which  he 
came  to  redeem,  attested  his  devotion  ;  w^iile 
his  evening  journeys  from  Jerusalem  to  Beth- 
any told  how  he  felt  the  attachments  of 
friendship's  home,  and  his  flowing  tears 
before  the  tomb  of  Lazarus,  proclaimed  the 
tender  sympathies  of  his  nature— sympathies 
which  were  but  faintly  echoed  in  the  wonder- 
ing exclamation  of  the  Jewish  kindred, 
"Behold  how  he  loved  him!"  The  garden 
witnessed  his  peaceful  resignation  when  it 
listened  to  the  trembling  accents  which  a 
supernatural  agony  wrung  from  his  fainting 
spirit,  "  O  my  Father,  if  it  be  possible,  let 
this  cup  pass  from  me;  nevertheless,  not  as  I 
will,  but  as  thou  wilt."  Matt,  xxvi :  39. 
His   magnanimous  and  forgiving  disposition 


CHRIST   AND  ADORNMENTS.  17 


was  heard  in  the  God-like  tones  which  fell 
from  the  cross  of  Calvary,  "  Father,  forgive 
them,  for  they  know  not  what  they  do." 

Thus  the  character  of  Christ,  in  all  its  unique 
and  majestic  bearing,  stands  before  us,  alone! 
He  was  man,  for  he  walked  among  men  as  one 
of  their  kind,  yet  how  infinitely  above  man. 
He  had    no    prototype— no    fellow— no    suc- 
cessor.    Isolated  in  its  solemn  grandeur,  that 
character  stands,  the  admiration  of  the  world. 
Other  men  had  possessed  the  virtues  of  hu- 
manity to  no  small  degree.     Job  was  patient, 
Moses  was  meek,  Abraham  was  faithful,  David 
was  devoted,  Solomon  was  wise,  but  Christ 
was  all  in  one.     He  was  patience,  meekness, 
faith,  love,  devotion,  wisdom,  all  personified. 
He  was  every  thing  good  that  moralist,  poet, 
or  theologian  ever  wrote,  and  if  there  be  any 
nameless  excellence  which  thought  has  never 
compassed,  or  language  lisped,  He  was  that 
excellence  too,  living,  breathing,  acting,  an  out- 
standing fact  for  men  to  imitate  and  angels 
love.     How  pure,   how  elevated,  how   tran- 
scendently  lovely,  was  such  a  character  I    The 
innocence  of  the  smiling  babe,  the  love  of  the 
self-forgetful  mother,  the  philanthropy  of  a 
Howard,  the  patriotism  of  a  Washington,  the 


18  CHRIST   AND   ADOENMENTS. 


&elf-sacrificing  zeal  of  the  missionary  mar- 
tyr, all  these  appeal  to  the  soul  with  resistless 
power.  We  could  not  if  we  would  withhold 
from  them  the  spontaneous  admiration  of  our 
heaven-taught  hearts.  How  much  less  can  we 
refrain  from  rendering  the  suffrage  of  our  souls 
to  Him  who  was  all  this  and  more.  Yea,  more 
than  pen  can  tell.  And  His  work,  how  grand ! 
To  be  the  High  Priest  of  a  nation  was  a 
coveted  station.  The  High  Priest  of  the 
world  was  he  !  The  rescue  of  a  fatherland  from 
the  fetters  of  bondage,  shall  insure  a  historic 
name,  and  a  fame  as  wide  as  the  love  of  noble 
deeds  and  daring.  He  redeemed  a  world. 
Look  now  upon  that  character.  Is  there  any 
thing  in  it  sordid,  base,  or  unholy? 

When  he  might  have  commanded  wealth 
and  fared  sumptuously  every  day,  hear  his 
mournful  plaint.  "Foxes  have  holes,  and 
birds  of  the  air  have  nests,  but  the  son  of 
man  hath  not  where  to  lay  his  head."  (Luke, 
ix:  58.)  Is  there  any  thing  here  calculated  to 
engender  pride,  or  excite  vanity?  Do  you 
detect  any  attempt  at  display,  or  any  en- 
couragement of  extravagance?  Had  there 
been,  would  not  his  inveterate  foes  have  urged 
that  sin  against  him  ?    But  hark.    "  The  chief 


CHRIST   AND   ADORNMENTS.  19 


priest,  and  elders,  and  all  the  council,  sought 
false  witness  against  Jesus  to  put  him  to  death, 
but  found  none."  (Matt.,  xxvi:  59,  60.)  No,  not 
even  false  witness,  such  had  been  the  immacu- 
late purity  of  his  life.  And  even  the  reckless 
and  perjured  Pilate  was  comj)eiled  to  exclaim 
before  the  persecuting  priests,  "  I  find  no  fault 
in  this  man,"  (Luke,  xxiii:  4,)  and  finally 
washed  his  hands  and  said,  "I  am  innocent  of 
the  blood  of  this  just  person,  see  ye  to  it.'' 
(Matt.,  xxvii:  24.) 

Now  let  us  turn  to  the  contemplation  of  his 
work. 

He  came  to  establish  a  kingdom  which  he 
declares  "  is  not  of  this  world,"  (John,  xviii :  36,) 
and  which  was  announced  to  Mary  as  an  ever- 
lasting kingdom,  (Luke,  i:  32,  33,)  the  prin- 
ciples of  which  are  "  righteousness  and  judg- 
ment," (Isa.,  xxxii;  1,)  which  is  to  be  ordered 
and  established  with  '-judgment  and  justice 
from  henceforth  even  for  ever."  (Isa.,  ix :  7.) 

Over  this  kingdom  he  reigns.  He  taught  its 
laws  of  admission  and  enjoyment.  "  Except 
ye  repent  ye  shall  all  likewise  perish."  (Luke, 
xiii :  3.)  ''The  Father  loveth  the  Son  and  hath 
given  all  things  into  his  hand.  He  that  be- 
lieveth  on  the  Son  hath  everlasting  life;  and 


20  CHRIST   AND   ADORNMENTS. 


he  that  believeth  not  the  Son,  shall  not  see  life; 
but  the  wrath  of  God  abideth  on  him."  (John, 
iii:  35,  36.)  Such  are  the  laws  of  admission 
— Repentance  and  Faith.  What  are  those  of 
enjoyment?  A  certain  lawyer  asked  the  Savior, 
"  Master,  which  is  the  great  commandment  in 
the  law?  Jesus  said  unto  him,  Thou  shalt 
love  the  Lord  thy  God  with  all  thy  heart, 
and  with  all  thy  soul,  and  with  all  thy  mind. 
This  is  the  first  and  great  commandment.  And 
the  second  is  like  unto  it,  Thou  shalt  love  th}^ 
neighbor  as  thyself  On  these  two  command- 
ments hang  all  the  law  and  the  prophets." 
(Matt.,  xxii:  36-40.)  The  Gospel,  too,  has  its 
commandment ;  the  one  great  law  which  meets 
us  at  the  very  threshold,  with  an  exclusive- 
ness  as  utter  and  decided  as  the  eternal  rela- 
tions of  the  redeemed  to  the  Eedeemer  can 
make  it.  "  Ye  are  not  your  own.,  for  ye  are 
bought  with  a  price :  therefore  glorify  God  in  your 
body,  and  in  your  spirit,  which  are  God's."  (1  Cor., 
vi :  19,  20.)  This  is  the  one  eternal,  inviolable, 
and  unchangeable  law  which  stands  as  the 
basis  of  all  others.  Every  other  law  in  the 
New  Testament  is  but  a  statute  regulating  the 
observance  of  this  grand  enactment  in  partic- 
ular respects.    What,  then,  does  this  law  mean  ? 


CHRIST   AND   ADORNMENTS.  21 


Certainly  all  that  each  separate  precept  or  statute 
specifies^  and  as  much  more,  (if  more  be  pos- 
sible,) as  may  lie  within  the  range  of  human 
ability  to  do,  to  glorify  God.  His  work  then, 
was  to  teach  this  law  in  all  its  varied  applica- 
tions, to  exemplify  his  commands  by  the  practi- 
cal purity  of  his  life,  and  by  tireless  industry, 
and  unflagging  zeal  and  devotion  to  the  great 
work  of  saving  the  world,  to  exhibit  to  that 
world  at  once  the  j^earnings  of  infinite  com- 
passion and  the  example  which  his  people 
were  to  follow.  Hence  says  the  Apostle  (1 
Peter,  ii :  21.)  "For  even  hereunto  were  ye 
called:  because  Christ  also  suffered  for  us, 
leaving  us  an  example,  that  ye  should  follow 
his  steps."  He  established  his  kingdom,  and 
left  us  a  record  of  the  work  and  of  its  laws, 
in  the  Gospels  and  Epistles,  and  now  we  may 
search  these  through  and  through,  and  we 
shall  find  all  in  perfect  keeping  with  his 
character.  The  purity,  meekness,  and  loveli- 
ness of  his  character  shine  through  his  work. 
In  vain  we  look  for  any  thing  which  can  be 
pleaded  as  an  authorization  of  worldly  con- 
formity, or  for  any  principle  which,  in  its  le- 
gitimate course  of  action,  can  develop  the  un- 
lovely and  depraved  passions  of  human  nature. 


22  CHRIST   AND    ADORNMENTS. 

On  the  contrary,  there  seems  a  studied  reserve, 
nay,  rather  a  bold  and  decided  position  of 
antagonism  to  the  world,  in  its  fashions,  max- 
ims, and  policy.  While  the  world  is  naturally 
and  essentially  selfish,  grasping,  and  proud, 
here  is  naught  but  humility,  self-sacrifice,  a 
noble  consecration  of  time,  means,  and  ener- 
gies to  the  good  of  all,  a  purity  which  "avoids 
the  aj)pearance  of  evil,"  and  a  heavenly  mind- 
edness  which  constantly  declares  that  we  are 
but  strangers  and  pilgrims  here,  and  that  we 
"  seek  a  city  whose  builder  and  maker  is  God." 

The  proof  adduced  by  this  contrast  needs 
not  to  be  sought  for;  it  forces  itself  upon  us 
with  all  the  authority  of  a  perfect  moral  de- 
monstration. That  which  is  horn  of  the  world, 
nourished  by  the  world,  lives  for  the  world, 
and  wears  the  livery  of  the  world,  must  be  in 
changeless  hostility  to  Christ.  "  Can  two 
walk  together  excej^t  they  be  agreed?"  "Ye 
can  not  serve  God  and  Mammon. '' 

We  infer  the  mind  of  Christ,  in  the  second 
place : 

From  the  general  scope  and  sj^irit  of  scrip- 
ture, and  its  statements  in  analogous  cases. 
It  is  an  established  rule  of  inter^^retation,  that 
particular  passages  of  any  book  must  be  con- 


CHRIST   AND   ADORNMENTS.  23 


strued  in  harmony  Avith  the  general  spirit  of 
the  Tvork.  Especially  is  this  rule  applica- 
ble in  scripture  criticism,  since  the  work  of  a 
perfect  being  must  necessarily  harmonize  in 
all  its  parts. 

Nor  are  we  in  this  case  left  to  gather  a 
knowledge  of  its  design  and  spirit  from  a 
careful  survey  of  the  whole  production,  since 
we  have,  in  a  few  plain  declarations,  the  sum- 
mary  of  the  inspired  penmen  themselves. 
"For  whatsoever  things  were  written  afore- 
time, were  written  for  our  learning,  that  we, 
through  patience  and  comfort  of  the  scriptures, 
might  have  hope."  (Eom.,  xv  :  4.)  "Wherefore 
lay  apart  all  filthiness  and  superfluity  of 
naughtiness,  and  receive  with  meekness  the 
engrafted  word,  which  is  able  to  save  your 
souls."  (James,  i:  21.)  "  So  then  faith  cometh 
by  hearing,  and  hearing  by  the  word  of  God." 
(Eom.,  X :  17.)  "  But  these  are  written,  that  ye 
might  believe  that  Jesus  is  the  Christ,  the  Son 
of  God ;  and  that  believing,  ye  might  have  life 
through  his  name."  (John,  xx :  31.)  "  And  these 
things  write  we  unto  you,  that  your  joy  may 
be  full."  (1  John,  i:  4.)  "And  that  from  a 
child  thou  hast  known  the  holy  scriptures, 
which  arc  able  to  make  thee  wise  unto  salva- 


24  CHKIST   AND   ADORNMENTS. 


tion  through  faith  which  is  in  Christ  Jesus. 
All  scripture  is  given  by  inspiration  of  God, 
and  is  profitable  for  doctrine,  for  reproof,  for 
correction,  for  instruction  in  righteousness; 
that  the  man  of  Grod  may  be  perfect,  tho- 
roughly furnished  unto  all  good  works."  (2 
Tim.,  iii:  15-17.) 

The  aim  of  the  scriptures  then,  is  that  we 
"may  have  hope;"  that  we  may  "lay  apart 
all  filthiness  and  superfluit}^  of  naughtiness, 
and  receive  with  meekness  the  engrafted 
word ;"  that  we  may  save  our  souls  through 
the  faith  that  "cometh  by  hearing;"  that 
"believing  we  might  have  life  through  his 
name;"  that  our  "joy  may  be  full;"  that  we 
may  be  led  to  the  adoption  of  the  pure  and 
self-denying  "doctrines"  of  Christ;  to  "re- 
prove" in  us  all  worldly  conformity  and  sinful 
habits ;  to  "  correct"  all  errors  of  the  life 
which  result  from  w^rong  views  of  saving 
truth;  and  so  "to  instruct  in  righteousness" 
as  to  secure  the  abandonment  of  all  unholy 
practices,  and  the  attainment  of  the  perfection 
which  consists  in  being  "  thoroughly  fur- 
nished unto  all  good  works.  " 

The  word  "thoroughly"  means  perfectly; 
perfectly  prepared  for  all  good  works,      l^o 


CHRIST   AND    ADORNMENTS.  25 


comment  of  ours  can  possibly  place  this  in  a 
stronger  light  than  does  the  Apostle  himself. 
AYe  have  seen,  in  our  preliminary  examination 
of  the  nature  of  the  gratification  which  we 
condemn,  that  it  springs  from  selfishness  and 
pride,  or  undue  deference  to  the  wishes  of 
others,  or  a  sinful  moral  cowardice  which  dare 
not  resist  the  mandates  of  Fashion. 

Most  conclusively  may  we  now  press  the 
inquiries,  "Can  the  evil  tree  bear  good  fruit?" 
or  will  the  "  bitter  fountain  send  forth  sweet 
waters?"  Are  those  persons  who  are  in  the 
daily  exercise  of  such  dispositions,  and  thus  by 
the  inevitable  law  of  habit  intensifying  them, 
are  they  perfectly  prepared  for  self-abandon- 
ment, and  entire  separation  from  the  world, 
and  "thoroughly  furnished  unto  all  good 
icorJisf'  Can  they  respond,  as  they  other- 
wise might,  to  the  calls  of  benevolence,  while 
adorning  themselves  with  the  price  of  souls? 
And  can  there  be  any  doubt  concerning  the 
mind  of  Christ  in  reference  to  these  things  ? 
If  so,  the  particular  passages  which  we  shall 
soon  quote,  must  put  that  doubt  to  rest  for 
ever;  for  certainly,  these,  if  not  the  scope  of 
the  Bible,  will  indicate  its  author's  mind. 


26  CHRIST   AND    ADORNMENTS. 


We  go,  then,  to  the  definite  statements  of 
Scripture  in  analogous  cases. 

Those  cases  may  be  deemed  analogous  which 
originate  in  similar  causes,  exhibit  like  disj^o- 
sitions,  or  produce  similar  results.  The  an- 
alogy too,  may  often  be  inferred  by  a  prohibi- 
tion of  particular  sins,  or  by  the  inculcation 
of  opposite  virtues.  With  this  fact  in  mind, 
it  will  at  once  be  perceived  that  our  proposi- 
tion covers  almost  the  entire  ground  of 
scripture  precept  and  inhibition. 

We  shall  confine  our  examples,  however,  to 
a  few  of  the  most  common.  The  evil  and 
danger  of  selfishness,  and  the  duty  of  self- 
denial,  are  strongly  and  frequently  insisted 
ujDon  by  the  sacred  writers.  "  Whosoever  will 
come  after  me,  let  him  deny  himself,  and  take 
up  his  cross,  and  follow  me."  (Mark,  viii:  34.) 
"  He  that  hath  two  coats,  let  him  impart  to 
him  that  hath  none  ;  and  he  that  hath  meat, 
let  him  do  likewise."  (Luke,  iii :  11.)  "Ye 
have  heard  that  it  hath  been  said,  An  eye  for 
an  eye,  and  a  tooth  for  a  tooth  :  but  I  say 
unto  you,  That  ye  resist  not  evil:  but  who- 
soever shall  smite  thee  on  thy  right  cheek, 
turn  to  him  the  other  also.  And  if  any  man 
will  sue  thee  at  the  law,  and  take  away  tliy 


CHRIST   AND   ADORNMENTS.  27 


coat,  let  him  have  thy  cloak  also.  And  who- 
soever shall  compel  thee  to  go  a  mile,  go  with 
him  twain.  Give  to  him  that  asketh  thee,  and 
from  him  that  would  borrow^  of  thee,  turn  not 
thou  away."  (Matt.,  v  :  38-41.)  "  Then  Jesus 
beholding  him,  loved  him,  and  said  unto  him, 
One  thing  thou  lackest :  go  thy  way,  sell 
whatsoever  thou  hast,  and  give  to  the  poor, 
and  thou  shalt  have  treasure  in  heaven:  and 
come,  take  up  the  cross,  and  follow  me.  And 
he  was  sad  at  that  saying,  and  w^ent  away 
grieved:  for  he  had  great  possessions."  (Mark, 
X  :  21,  22.)  "  So  likewise,  whosoever  he  be  of 
you  that  forsaketh  not  all  that  he  hath,  he  can- 
not be  my  disciple."  (Luke,  xiv:  33.)  "  I  be- 
seech you  therefore,  brethren,  by  the  mercies 
of  God,  that  ye  present  your  bodies  a  living 
saerifice,  holy,  acceptable  unto  God,  icMch  is 
your  reasonable  service."  (Eom.,xii:  1.)"  Here- 
by perceive  we  the  love  of  God,  because  he  laid 
dow^n  his  life  for  us :  and  we  ought  to  lay  down 
our  lives  for  the  brethren."  (1  John,  iii:  16.) 

Against  the  cares  of  the  world,  producing 
their  stinting  and  disastrous  effects,  we  are 
faithfully  w-arned  by  our  Savior  in  the  parable 
of  the  sower.  "He  also  that  received  seed 
among  the  thorns,  is  ho  that  heareth  the  word ; 


28  CHRIST   AND    ADORNMENTS. 


and  the  care  of  this  world,  and  the  deceitful- 
ness  of  riches,  choke  the  word,  and  he  becom- 
eth  unfruitful."  (M;att.,  xiii :  22.) 

And  the  Apostle  James  cautions  us  against 
any  omissions  of  duty,  or  neglect  of  the  opportu- 
nities of  doing  good  which  Providence  opens 
before  us.  "  Therefore  to  him  that  knoweth 
to  do  good,  and  doeth  it  not,  to  him  it  is  sin." 
(James,  iv  :  17.)  ''As  we  have  therefore  oppor- 
tunity, let  us  do  good  unto  all  ynen,  especially 
unto  those  who  are  of  the  household  of  faith." 
(Gal.,  vi:  10.) 

Our  responsibility  for  the  proper  improvement 
of  all  our  talents,  is  made  the  subject  of  two  of 
the  most  impressive  parables  ever  uttered  by 
the  Savior.  "  Then  shall  the  kingdom  of  heaven 
be  likened  unto  ten  virgins,  which  took  their 
lamps,"  etc. (Matt., xxv:  1-13.)  "  Yovthekingdom 
of  heaven  is  as  a  man  traveling  into  a  far  country, 
who  called  his  own  servants,"  etc.  (Matt.,  xxv: 
14-30.)  "But  he  that  knew  not,  and  did  com- 
mit things  worthy  of  stripes,  shall  be  beaten 
with  few  stripes.  For  unto  whomsoever  much 
is  given,  of  him  shall  be  much  required:  and 
to  whom  men  have  committed  much,  of  him 
the}^  will  ask  the  more."  (Luke,  xii :  48.) 

All  tcorldly  mindedness  is  condemned  in  un- 


CHRIST   AND   ADORNMENTS.  29 


sparing  language,  and  the  scriptures  seem 
solicitous  to  guard  against  its  remotest  ap- 
proach, by  sounding  repeated  notes  of  warn- 
ing and  reproof.  "And  be  not  conformed  to 
this  world ;  but  be  ye  transformed  by  the 
renewing  of  your  mind,  that  ye  may  prove 
what  is  that  good,  and  acceptable,  and  perfect, 
will  of  God."  (Eom.,xii:  2.)  "  Set  3^our  aifec- 
tions  on  things  above,  not  on  things  on  the 
earth."  (Col.,  iii  :  2.)  "Love  not  the  world, 
neither  the  things  that  are  in  the  world.  If 
any  man  love  the  world,  the  love  of  the  Father 
is  not  in  him."  (1  John,  ii :  15.)  "  Know  ye  not 
that  the  friendship  of  the  world  is  enmity  with 
God  ?  Whosoever,  therefore,  will  be  a  friend 
of  the  world  is  the  enemy  of  God."  (James,  iv  : 
4.)  "  Wherefore  come  out  from  among  them, 
and  be  ye  separate,  saith  the  Lord,  and  touch 
not  the  unclean  thing;  and  I  will  receive 
you."  (2  Cor.,  vi :  17.) 

Lest  the  purity  of  the  christian  church 
should  be  compromised  with  evil,  we  are  com- 
manded to  avoid  "the  apj^earance  of  evil." 
(1  Thess.,  V  :  22.)  "  Enter  not  into  the  path  of 
the  wicked,  and  go  not  in  the  way  of  evil 
men.  Avoid  it,  pass  not  by  it,  turn  from  it, 
and  pass  away."  (Prov.,  iv:  14,  15.)     "I  have 


30  CHRIST    AND    ADORNMENTS. 


not  sat  with  vain  persons,  neither  will  I  go  in 
with  dissemblers."  (Psa.,  xxvi:  4.)  "Be  not  ye 
therefore  partakers  with  them.  For  ye  were 
some  time  darkness,  but  now  are  ye  light  in 
the  Lord:  walk  as  children  of  light;  (for  the 
fruit  of  the  spirit  is  in  all  goodness,  righteous- 
ness and  truth  ;)  proving  what  is  acceptable 
unto  the  Lord.  And  have  no  fellowship  with 
the  unfruitful  works  of  darkness,  but  rather 
reprove  f/iem."  (Eph.,  v:  7-11.) 

If  we  may  not  have  even  the  external  ap- 
pearance of  evil,  much  less  may  we  seduce  to 
evil.  "  Neither  shalt  thou  make  marriages 
with  them ;  thy  daughter  thou  shalt  not  give 
unto  his  son,  nor  his  daughter  shalt  thou  take 
unto  thy  son.  For  they  will  turn  away  thy 
son  from  following  me,  that  they  may  serve 
other  gods :  so  will  the  anger  of  the  Lord  be 
kindled  against  you,  and  destroy  thee  sud- 
denly. But  thus  shall  ye  deal  with  them ; 
ye  shall  destroy  their  altars,  and  break  down 
their  images,  and  cut  down  their  groves,  and 
burn  their  graven  images  with  fire."  "The 
graven  images  of  their  gods  shall  ye  burn 
with  fire :  thou  shalt  not  desire  the  silver  or 
gold  that  is  on  them,  nor  take  it  unto  thee, 
lest  thou  be  snared  therein :  for  it  is  an  abomi- 


CHRIST  AND   ADORNMENTS.  31 


nation  to  the  Lord,  thy  God.  Neither  shalt 
thou  bring  an  abomination  into  thy  house,  lest 
thou  be  a  cursed  thing  like  it ;  hut  thou  shalt 
utterly  detest  it,  and  thou  shalt  utterly  abhor 
it;  for  it  is  a  cursed  thing."  (Deut.,vii:  3.  4,  5, 
25,  26.)  "Ye  shall  utterly  destroy  all  the  places 
wherein  the  nations  which  ye  shall  possess, 
served  their  gods,  upon  the  high  mountains, 
and  upon  the  hills,  and  under  every  green 
tree.  And  ye  shall  overthrow  their  altars, 
and  break  their  pillars,  and  burn  their  groves 
with  fire ;  and  ye  shall  hew  down  the  graven 
images  of  their  gods,  and  destroy  the  names 
of  them  out  of  that  place.  Ye  shall  not  do  so 
unto  the  Lord,  your  God."  "When  the  Lord 
thy  God  shall  cut  off  the  nations  from  before 
thee,  whither  thou  goest  to  j)Ossess  them,  and 
thou  succeedest  them,  and  dwellest  in  their 
land ;  take  heed  to  thyself  that  thou  be  not 
snared  by  following  them,  after  that  they  be 
destroyed  from  before  thee  ;  and  that  thou  in- 
quire not  after  their  gods,  saying,  How  did 
these  nations  serve  their  gods?  even  so  will 
I  do  likewise.  Thou  shalt  not  do  so  unto  the 
Lord  thy  God:  for  every  abomination  to  the 
Lord  which  he  hateth,  have  they  done  unto 
their   gods;   for  even   their   sons  and  their 


82  CHRIST  AND   ADORNMENTS. 


daughters  they  have  burnt  in  the  fire  to  their 
gods."  (Deut.,  xii:  2-4,  29-31.)  "But  whoso 
shall  offend  one  of  these  little  ones  which  be- 
lieve in  me,  it  were  better  for  him  that  a 
millstone  were  hanged  about  his  neck,  and 
that  he  were  drowned  in  the  depth  of  the 
sea."  (Matt.,  xviii :  6.) 

Pride  and  haughtiness  are  thus  spoken  of  by 
the  Prophet  and  the  ISTew  Testament  writers. 
<'  Moreover  the  Lord  saith,  Because  the  daugh- 
ters of  Zion  are  haughty,  and  walk  with 
stretched  forth  necks  and  wanton  eyes,  walk- 
ing and  mincing  as  they  go,  and  making  a 
tinkling  with  their  feet :  therefore,  the  Lord 
will  smite  with  a  scab  the  crown  of  the  head 
of  the  daughters  of  Zion,  and  the  Lord  will 
discover  their  secret  parts.  In  that  day  the 
Lord  will  take  away  the  bravery  of  their 
tinkling  ornaments  about  their  feet,  and  their 
cauls  and  their  round  tires  like  the  moon,  the 
chains,  and  the  bracelets,  and  the  mufflers,  the 
bonnets,  and  the  ornaments  of  the  legs,  and 
the  headbands,  and  the  tablets,  and  the  ear- 
rings, the  rings,  and  nose  jewels,  the  change- 
able suits  of  apparel,  and  the  mantles,  and  the 
wimples,  and  the  crisping  pins,  the  glasses, 
and  the  fine  linen,   and  the  hoods,  and   the 


CHRIST   AND    ADORNMENTS. 


vails.     And  it  shall  come  to  pass,  that  instead 
of   sweet   smell   there   shall    be    stink;    and 
instead  of  a  girdle,  a  rent;    and   instead  of 
well  set    hair,   baldness;    and    instead    of   a 
stomacher,  a  girding  of  sackcloth ;  and  burn- 
ing  instead   of  beauty."    (Isaiah,  iii :   16-24.) 
'  How  can  je  believe,   which    receive   honor 
one  of  an  other,  and  seek  not  the  honor  that 
:ometh  from  God  only  ?"     (John,  v  :  44.)    '■  Be- 
vvare  lest  any  man  spoil  3-ou  through  philoso- 
phy and  vain  deceit,   after   the    tradition   of 
Qien,  after  the  rudiments  of  the   world,  and 
not  after  Christ."    (Col.,  ii :  8.)    '•  My  brethren, 
have  not  the  faith  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ, 
the  Lord  of  glory,   with    respect  of  persons. 
For  if  there  come  unto  your  assembly  a  man 
with  a  gold  ring,  in  goodly  apparel,  and  there 
come  in  also  a  poor  man  in  vile  raiment ;  and 
ye  have  respect  to  him  that  weareth  the  gay 
clothing,  and  say  unto  him,  Sit  thou  here  in  a 
good  place;  and  say  to  the  poor.  Stand  thou 
there,  or  sit  here  under  my  footstool;  are  ye 
not  then  partial  in  yourselves,  and  are  become 
judges  of  evil  thoughts?"     (James,  ii :  1-4.) 
'•  Then  spake  Jesus  to  the  multitude  and  to  his 
disciples,  saying,  The  Scribes  and  the  Phari- 
sees sit  in  Moses'  seat :  all  therefore  whatso- 


84  CHRIST    AND    ADORNMENTS'. 


ever  they  bid  you  observe,  that  observe  and 
do  ;  but  do  not  ye  after  their  works  :  for  they 
say  and  do  not.  For  they  bind  heavy  burdens 
and  grievous  to  be  borne,  and  lay  them  on 
men's  shoulders;  but  they  themselves  will 
not  move  them  with  one  of  their  fingers.  But 
all  their  works  they  do  for  to  be  seen  of  men  ; 
they  make  broad  their  phylacteries,  and 
enlarge  the  borders  of  their  garments,  and 
love  the  uppermost  rooms  at  feasts,  and  the 
chief  seats  in  the  synagogues,  and  greetings 
in  the  markets,  and  to  be  called  of  men,  Eabbi, 
Eabbi.  But  be  not  ye  called  Eabbi ;  for  one 
is  your  master,  even  Christ;  and  all  ye  are 
brethren."     (Matt.,  xxiii :  1-8.) 

It  will  not  be  necessary  to  quote  the  nume- 
rous precepts  inculcating  the  opposite  virtues, 
as  they  will  at  once  recur  to  every  reader  of 
the  sacred  volume. 

We  now  have  the  argument  from  analogy 
fairly  before  us. 

Whenever  any  action  springs  from  like 
causes,  exhibits  like  principles,  or  is  attended 
with  similar  results  to  those  mentioned  iu  the 
quotations  above,  it  meets  the  ban  of  Jeho- 
vah in  reiterated  passages  of  his  word.  So 
uniform  is  this  that  no  one  can  doubt  that  it  is 


CHRIST   AND    ADORNMENTS.  35 


because  of  a  fundamental  antagonism  with  the 
principles  and  purposes  of  his  government; 
and  that  whatever  course  of  human  conduct 
may  be  justly  charged  with  the  same  charac- 
ter, must  expect  the  same  condemnation.  In 
regard  to  the  subject  before  us,  the  conclusion 
is  BO  plain  that  it  can  be  controverted  only  by 
a  denial  of  the  argument  previously  stated 
concerning  the  nature  of  the  indulgence.  But 
for  the  present  we  shall  assume  the  validity 
of  that,  as  the  progress  of  the  discussion  will 
bring  corroborating  testimony  enough  to  place 
it  u23on  the  immovable  basis  of  demonstration 
so  clear  that  none  but  the  perversel}^  obstinate 
can  fail  to  perceive  its  force. 

An  other  method  of  ascertaining  the  mind 
of  Christ  relative  to  this  matter  has  been 
already  anticipated  in  the  progress  of  the 
argument.     It  is — 

From  the  effect  of  such  adornment  upon 
Christian  character.  Says  one,  "I  never  yet 
found  pride  in  a  noble  nature,  nor  humility 
in  an  unw^orthy  mind.  Of  all  trees,  I  observe 
that  God  hath  chosen  the  vine,  a  low  plant 
that  creeps  helpless  upon  a  wall;  of  all 
beasts,  the  soft  and  patient  lamb ;  of  all  fowls, 
the   mild    and    guileless    dove.      When    God 


36  CHRIST   AND   ADORNMENTS. 


appeared  to  Moses,  it  was  not  in  a  lofty 
cedar,  nor  in  the  sturdy  oak,  nor  the  spread- 
ing palm,  but  a  bush,  an  humble,  slender, 
abject  bush ;  as  if  he  would,  by  these  selec- 
tions, check  the  arrogance  of  man.  Nothing 
procureth  love  like  humility  ;  nothing  hate, 
like  pride." 

We  may  add,  that  we  have  never  seen  the 
habit  of  adornment  which  was  not  associated 
with  pride,  usually  in  the  ratio  of  its  own 
extent. 

A  lady  once  asked  a  clergyman  "Whether 
he  considered  such  a  practice  as  an  evidence 
of  pride?"  He  replied,  with  as  much  philos- 
ophy as  point :  "  Madam,  when  you  see  the 
fox's  tail  peeping  out  of  the  hole,  you  may  bo 
sure  that  he  is  within."  It  is  at  least  a  sin- 
gular coincidence  which  demands  explanation 
at  the  hands  of  objectors,  that  the  most  vain, 
conceited,  and  silly,  are  uniformly  the  persona 
most  addicted  to  the  habit,  while  the  most 
staid,  sober,  and  truly  refined  are  the  least 
prone  to  its  exhibition. 

And  most  unfortunately  for  any  explanation 
that  might  be  offered,  the  great  law  of  inter- 
influence  asserts  a  connection  between  the 
outward  appearance  and  the  inner  gauge  by 


CHRIST   AND   ADORNMENTS.  87 


which  that  appearance  is  regulated.  And  the 
Apostle,  as  if  in  recognition  of  this  truth,  more 
than  intimated  a  hopelessness  of  witnessing 
"f/ie  ornament  of  a  meek  and  quiet  spirit" 
conjoined  with  the  ^^  adorning  of  plaiting  of 
the  hair,  and  of  wearing  of  gold,  or  of  putting 
on  of  apparel."  Those  most  addicted  to  the 
last  named  habit,  are  notoriously  the  least 
reliable  in  all  the  self-sacrificing  duties  of 
Christianity.  Though  some  will  attribute  their 
want  of  consistency  to  other  causes,  we  can 
not  accept  the  explanation  until  they  tell  us 
why  it  is  that  these  "  other  causes  "  are  so  in- 
separable from  this  practice  ;  and  even  if  they 
succeed  in  this,  the  fact  still  remains  that  this 
indulgence  is  found  in  very  dangerous  com- 
pany. It  is  matter  of  extreme  doubt  which  is 
Avorshiped  the  more  by  our  most  fashionable 
professors,  the  God  of  the  sanctuary,  or  "  the 
beauty  of  a  hat ; "  which  is  thought  of  the 
more,  the  sermon,  or  the  most  advantageous 
waj^  to  display  the  last  "splendid  silk;" 
which  is  remembered  the  longer,  the  jDractical 
instructions  of  the  sacred  desk,  or  the  want 
of  taste  exhibited  in  some  rival's  adornments; 
which  is  desired  the  more,  religious  profit,  or 
an  opportunity  to  "  create  a  sensation."     Not 


38  CHRIST   AND   ADORNMENTS. 


that  we  charge  all  this  directly  upon  the 
adornments  of  the  individual,  but  we  do  im- 
peach them  as  guilty  of  strengthening  the  men- 
tal tastes  which  demand  them^  and  as  originating 
those  tastes  in  others  and  perpetuating  them  to 
the  exclusion  of  better  ones,  every  ichere  icithin  the 
circle  of  their  influence. 

"A  minister  in  the  city  of  New  York  was, 
a  few  years  since,  called  in  to  visit  a  dying 
young  lady,  about  twenty  years  of  age,  who 
was  heiress  to  a  large  estate,  whose  parents 
were  dotingly  fond  of  her,  and  whose  educa- 
tion had  been  of  the  highest  and  most  fashion- 
able character.  The  minister  talked  of  death, 
judgment,  and  eternity;  but  the  young  lady 
had  never  before  heard  such  language  ad- 
dressed to  her,  and  she  trembled.  In  the 
dying  hour  she  called  for  some  of  her  fine 
clothes ;  and  Avhen  they  were  brought,  she 
looked  at  her  mother,  and  said,  '  These  have 
ruined  me.  You  never  told  me  I  must  die. 
You  taught  me  that  my  errand  in  this  world 
was  to  be  gay  and  dressy,  and  to  enjoy  the 
vanities  of  life.  What  could  you  mean  ?  You 
knew  I  must  die,  and  go  to  judgment.  You 
never  told  me  to  read  the  Bible,  or  to  go  to 
church,  unless  to  make  a  display  of  some  new 


(JURIST  AND  ADORNMENTS.  89 


finery.     Mother,  you  have  ruined  me.'     She 
died  in  a  few  moments  after." 

In  the  sad  instance  here  narrated,  it  would 
be  difficult,  and  perhaps  undesirable  to  deter- 
mine the  precise  amount  of  blame-worthiness 
to  be  attached  to  the  mother's  passion  for  dis- 
play, a  passion  so  intense  and  blinding,  that 
it  voluntarily  periled  the  immortal  interests 
of  her  child ;  but  none  can  fail  to  perceive  the 
destructive  tendency  of  any  principle  when 
permitted  to  develop  itself  in  the  Christian's 
bosom,  which  has  'proved  hoiv  ruinous  it  is  in  the 
character  of  the  unregenerate.  That  the  last 
play,  or  the  opera,  or  the  cotillion  party,  or 
the  levee,  or  the  fashions,  should  form  the 
substance  of  the  conversation  and  the  thoughts 
of  the  professed  followers  of  Christ,  would 
seem  too  m-uch  to  be  believed,  did  not  their 
outward  adornments  indicate  the  mental  prin- 
ciples which  control  them.  The  passion,  natu- 
rally strong  enough,  has  been  strengthened 
hj  indulgence,  till  it  sways  the  mind  with  a 
species  of  intoxicating  power  almost  perfect 
in  its  control.  But  the  injury  does  not  con- 
sist altogether  in  the  development  of  this  part 
of  the  nature;  for  the  indulgencies  themselves 
have  unforseen  connections  with  others,  and 


40  CHRIST   AND  ADORNMENTS. 


these  with  still  others,  till  the  entire  round  of 
worldly  pleasure  becomes  complicated  in  the  first 
gratification,  find  the  conscience,  deliberately 
stained  in  the  first  instance,  loses  everj^  firm 
ground  of  support  fi^r  resistance  in  each  suc- 
ceeding allurement,  till  both  the  power  and 
the  inclination  to  resist  the  evil  are  well  nigh 
spent,  and  the  Holy  Spirit  is  grieved  away, 
and  barrenness  and  leanness  fill  the  soul. 
"  The  tendency  of  any  thing  may  be  best  un- 
derstood, by  considering  an  extreme  case  as 
an  illustration.  Dress  up  a  little  girl  for  the 
first  time  in  fine  attire,  and  adorn  her  with  all 
the  ornaments  of  our  grown  up  daughters,  and 
you  will  have  a  specimen  of  the  ridiculous 
pomposity  of  childish  vanity.  But  why  are 
the  affected  strut  and  fulsome  airs  so  ridicu- 
lous? Simply  because  it  is  native  vanity 
acting  itself  out,  without  the  restraints  which 
social  life  throws  around  those  of  more  mature 
years.  But  in  either  case,  the  vanity  is  there, 
as  the  endless  twists,  and  turns,  and  adjust- 
ments which  the  mirror  of  the  dressing  cham- 
ber  beholds,  can  testify.  As  truly  as  indul- 
gence feeds  desire,  does  this  practice  increase 
the  native  vanity  which  prompted  to  it."  (Gift 
of  Power,  page  253.) 


CHRIST   AND   ADORNMENTS.  41 


It  is  said  that  Louis  Fifteenth,  of  France, 
in  order  to  make  a  public  procession  in  Paris 
the  most  gorgeous  that  ever  was  witnessed 
in  that  luxurious  city,  had  a  little  child 
covered  with  gold  leaf,  and  carried  in  splendid 
state  before  the  people.  The  graceful  move- 
ments of  the  little  golden  god  excited  im- 
mense applause;  but  before  the  train  had 
marched  its  appointed  course,  he  was  seized 
with  a  sudden  trembling  and  fell  down  dead. 
The  impervious  metal  had  stopped  the  pores  of 
his  skin,  and  he  was  suftbcated  amid  the  joy- 
ous acclamations  that  his  appearance  elicited. 
Alas !  how  many  there  are,  who,  like  thi^ 
victim  of  ambitious  pride,  shine  in  all  the 
dazzling  sj^lendors  which  riches  and  fashion 
can  throw  around  them,  and  who,  like  him, 
are  being  sutFocatcd  spiritually,  inch  by  inch, 
in  the  midst  of  their  coveted  triumphs. 

"  Whoso  readeth  let  him  understand. '^ 

Another  method  of  learning  the  mind  of 
Christ,  is  b}^  his  deput}^  the  Holy  Spirit. 

When  the  Savior  left  the  world,  he  prom- 
ised to  his  disciples  "another  comforter,"  who 
should  lead  them  into  "all  truth,"  and  should 
remain  as  his  agent  in  theafiairs  of  His  king- 
dom, until  He  should  come  the  second  time, 


42  CHRIST   AND    ADORNMENTS. 


to  reign  "  over  all,  God  blessed  for  ever."  This 
comforter,  the  Holy  Spirit,  was  given  upon  the 
day  of  Pentecost  in  a  peculiar  manner,  and 
from  that  time  became  the  acknowledged 
guide  of  the  church.  His  promptings  upon 
the  Christian  heart,  if  satisfactorily  ascer- 
tained, may  alwa^^s  be  received  as  an  infallible 
rule  in  all  things  relating  to  either  faith  or 
practice.  The  question  now  is,  What  are  the 
Holy  Spirit's  promptings  relative  to  tlie  in- 
dulgence before  us?  In  the  fact  that  the  mind 
of  the  Spirit  has  been  already  recorded  in  the 
Bible  upon  this  very  point,  we  have  more 
than  a  presumption  what  his  suggestion  will 
be.  Eesides,  it  gives  peculiar  significance  to  a 
truth  which  we  must  premise  in  this  connec- 
tion, viz:  that  the  absence  of  such  promptings 
in  some  cases,  or  even  in  a  majority  of  in- 
stances, is  not  to  be  considered  as  favoring 
the  view  that  He  is  indifferent  to  the  subject. 
For  such  is  the  training  of  youth,  that  they 
are  taught  to  believe  in  the  rightfulness  and 
even  the  necessity  of  such  indulgences,  so 
that  the  avenue  to  conviction  is  not  only 
closed,  but  barred  by  the  habits  of  a  lifetime, 
and  the  example  of  church  members  every- 
where.    On  the  contrary,  the  least  intimation 


CHRIST   AND    ADORNMENTS.  43 


from  the  Spirit  in  the  face  of  all  this  training 
and  its  consequences,  should  be  regarded  as  a 
most  serious  thing.  For  the  Spirit  never  does 
any  thing  without  a  necessity  for  it,  while  it 
is  often  j)revented  from  acting,  by  the  obsta- 
cles which  corrupt  human  nature  has  placed 
in  its  pathway.  This  being  the  case,  whenever 
in  the  experience  of  any  one,  while  the  heart 
is  tender  and  ready  to  obey  every  behest  of 
the  Spirit,  some  suggestions  toward  the  aban- 
donment of  a  previous  habit  of  adornment  are 
made,  even  though  those  suggestions  be  no 
more  than  mere  questions  of  doubtfulness  con- 
cerning the  rightfulness  or  expediency  of  the 
custom,  and  even  though  those  questions 
assume  only  the  fragmentary  character  of  a 
passing  thought,  without  even  the  distinct  out- 
line of  a  well-defined  inquiry,  Avith  all  these 
limitations  they  should  be  regarded  as  very 
strong  indications  of  the  mind  of  Christ.  If 
in  addition  to  this,  the  voice  of  the  Spirit  is 
often  heard  in  the  hours  of  first  love,  or  heard 
until  it  meets  a  distinct  denial,  kindly  re- 
monstrating, or  lovingly  rebuking  the  prac- 
tice, there  is  then  no  room  for  mistake.  But 
if  even  further  than  all  this,  He  peremptorily 
demands  renunciation  of  the  indulgence,  or  a 


44  CnPvlST    AND   ADORNMENTS. 


guilty  conscience  as  the  only  alternative,  the 
issue  is  distinctly  taken,  and  it  then  becomes 
those  who  controvert  the  j^osition  here  as- 
sumed, to  show  cause  why  they  should  be 
denied  the  indulgence,  if  it  be  so  innocent  in 
itself  as  the  objector  affirms. 

"  Miss  T ,  of county,  who  was  very 

thoughtless,  was  induced  by  a  friend  to  prom- 
ise that  she  would  read  the  "  Rise  and  Pro- 
gress." Her  feelings  followed  those  of  the 
writer  generall}^,  and  with  as  little  opposition 
as  could  be  expected  until  she  came  to  the  17th 
chapter.  That  is  siyled  the  "  self-dedication 
chapter."  While  transcribing  this  chapter, 
according  to  the  author's  direction,  to  make  it 
her  own  act,  consecrating  herself  to  Jehovah's 
service,  for  time  and  for  ever,  she  hesitated. 
Her  wicked  heart  arose  in  opposition.  She 
could  not  surrender  aJl  to  God.  There  was  a 
small  portion  of  her  earthly  treasures,  a  little 
shining  dust,  used  as  ornaments  of  her  perish- 
ing body,  which  she  was  unwilling  to  surren- 
der for  that  "glittering  crown  of  glory,"  which 
Christ  promises  to  all  those  that  love  and  serve 
him.  In  great  agony  her  pen  was  laid  aside, 
and  for  several  days  she  refused  to  finish  the 
dedication  chapter.    One  day,  while  complain- 


CHRIST   AND    ADORNMENTS.  45 


ing  to  a  sister  (since  gone  to  rest)  that  she 
could  find  no  ^^eace,  her  sister  rei:>lied,  "  Per- 
haps there  is  something  you  are  unwilling  to 
part  with,  some  little  thing  that  you  will  not 
give  up  for  the  sake  of  an  interest  in  Christ? 
Eemember  he  requires  entire  consecration,  all." 
She  soon  left  her  sister,  retired  to  her  closet, 
resolved  to  part  with  her  jewelry  and  all 
things  else  for  an  interest  in  her  Eedeemer. 
She  was  immediately  able  to  finish  transcrib- 
ing her  chapter,  light  began  to  dawn  upon  her 
soul,  and  her  proud  spirit  was  humbled. 
Peace  gradually  dawned  upon  her  mind,  and 
as  soon  as  an  opportunity  presented  she 
united  with  the  church,  and  now  walks  in 
newness  of  life." 

Such  instances  are  not  rare  in  the  observa- 
tion of  those  who  are  called  to  direct  seeking 
souls  to  the  Redeemer,  and  each  one  proclaims 
in  trumpet-tones  against  the  indulgence. 

We  may  now  appeal  directly  to  christian 
experience. 

It  is  a  fact  that  in  cdl  evangelical  churches 
there  are  more  or  fewer,  who  are  taught  by 
the  Spirit  to  refrain  from  such  gratifications, 
and  we  submit,  that  as  a  general  rule,  in  all 
churches   the   most  holy  and  useful  persons 


46  CHRIST    AND    ADORNMENTS. 


systematically  and  conscientiously  stand  aloot 
from  such  practices. 

The  mere  fact  that  those  who  enjoy  the 
most  intimate  communion  with  the  Father 
and  the  Son  do  refrain  from  such  indulgences, 
is  a  powerful  argument  either  for  the  essential 
wrongfulness  or  inexpediency  of  them. 

But  it  would  be  easy  to  show  that  the  in- 
expedient in  religious  matters  is  necessarily 
w^rong;  therefore,  the  conduct  of  the  holy, 
viewed  in  the  light  of  their  divinely  received 
instructions,  pronounces  authoritatively  the 
anathema  of  Heaven  upon  the  sin.  Another 
fact  in  clear  connection  with  the  foregoing  is, 
that  persons  of  no  marked  piety,  but  whose 
experience  is  changeable,  not  unfrequently  feel 
strong  scruples  and  sometimes  keen  remorse  of 
conscience  for  their  habits  of  adornment,  espe- 
dally  in  seasons  of  revival^  or  of  unusual  j^rsonal 
interest  in  religious  concerns.  Though  the  feeling 
dies  away  Avith  relapsing  piety,  it  is  revived 
again  with  the  fresh  springingof  religious  joys. 

The  rational  conclusion  from  the  above  is 
that  the  Spirit  speaks  as  clearly  and  as  unam- 
biguously as  the  false  education  and  perverted 
practices  of  the  church  will  allow,  especially 
when  all  this  is  wilfully  done  after  the   de- 


CHRIST   AND    ADORNMENTS.  47 


cisive  utterances  of  Holy  Writ,  and  in  direct 
contravention  of  its  authority. 

Let  us  here  pause  and  survey  the  ground. 
The  character  and  work  of  Christ  have  been 
exhibited  first,  in  order  that  the  weight  of  their 
testimony  might  not  only  bear  upon  the  general 
argument,  but  prevent  the  cavils  which  might 
otherwise  be  urged  against  the  succeeding 
propositions.  The  scope  and  spirit  of  scrip- 
ture and  its  statements  in  analogous  cases, 
thus  not  only  preserve  their  inherent  weight, 
but  have  a  cumulative  power  from  the  charac- 
ter and  work  of  Christ.  The  effects  of  the  in- 
dulgence upon  Christian  character,  then, 
shows  the  line  of  its  divergence  from  Christ 
and  from  sacred  truth,  ever  Avidening  as  it 
passes  through  practical  experience,  while  the 
voice  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  in  unison  with  Christ, 
as  a  summary  of  truth,  "and  a  guardian  of 
christian  graces,  constantly  sounds  its  notes 
of  warning  and  reproof. 

Here  we  might  safely  rest  our  plea,  but  all 
the  foregoing  has  but  prepared  the  way  for  an- 
other witness,  whose  testimony  is  utterly  un- 
impeachable, and  at  this  stage  of  the  proceed- 
ings, equally  unmistakeable.  Then  "to  the 
Law  and  the  Testimony." 
4 


48  CHRIST   AND   ADORNMENTS. 


There  are  express  and  positive  statements 
of  scripture  upon  the  point.  In  1  Peter,  iii :  3, 
4,  we  have  these  words  :  "  Whose  adorning,  let 
it  not  be  that  outward  adorning  of  plaiting  the 
hair,  and  of  wearing  of  gold,  or  of  putting  on 
of  apparel ;  but  let  it  he  the  hidden  man  of  the 
heart,  in  that  which  is  not  corruptible,  even 
the  ornament  of  a  meek  and  quiet  spirit,  which 
is,  in  the  sight  of  God,  of  great  price." 

"  To  show  there  is  no  possibilit}^  of  evading 
the  force  of  these  commands,  and  that  they 
are  binding  upon  all  who  profess  the  religion  of 
Christ,  and  that  he  who  tramples  upon  them 
does  it  at  his  2)eril,  let  us  inquire,  What  degree 
of  respect  should  we  render  to  the  express 
prohibitions  of  scripture,  and  how  far  may 
we  qualify  them  in  our  interpretations?  In 
regard  to  the  first  part  of  the  inquiry,  it  is 
evident  that  a  prohibition,  emanating  from 
the  same  source,  and  attended  with  the  same 
sanctions,  is  equally  as  auihoritative  as  an  ex- 
press command.  The  Decalogue  itself  places 
this  beyond  question,  for  eight  of  the  ten  com- 
mandments are  in  the  form  of  prohibitions. 

"As  to  the  interpretation  which  we  are  to 
give  to  such  words  as  those  of  Peter,  a  high 
authority  has  said :  '  I  hold  it  for  a  most  in- 


CHRIST    AND    ADORNMENTS.  49 


fallible  rule  in  expositions  of  sacred  scripture 
that  when  a  literal  construction  will  stand,  the 
furthest  from  the  letter  is  comnionlj^  the  worst. 
There  is  nothiD£>;  more  dansj-erous  than  this 
licentious  and  deluding  art;  which  changcth 
the  meaning  of  words,  as  alchemy  doth,  or 
would  do,  the  substance  of  metals;  maketh  of 
every  thing  what  it  listeth,  and  bringeth  in 
the  end  all  truth  to  nothing.' — Sec  Hooker's 
Eccl,  Polity,  book  5,  chap.  59. 

"Dr.  Peck,  before  (Quoting  the  above,  says: 
'Language  is  always  to  be  understood  in  its 
natural  or  literal  sense,  unless  there  is  some-" 
thing  in  the  nature  of  the  subject  to  which  it 
is  applied  which  requires  the  restricted  mean- 
ing.' Applying  this  rule  to  the  subject  before 
us,  we  conclude  that  the  passage  from  Peter, 
with  which  w^e  commenced  signifies  only  what 
the  words,  used  in  their  plain,  natural,  and  ob- 
vious meaning,  convey,  and  contains  all  that 
meaning  without  evasion  or  limitation.  To 
this  it  may  be  objected,  'that  it  was  undoubt- 
edly intended  to  be  understood  thus,  at  the 
time  when  it  was  written,  but  was  not  de- 
signed to  be  of  perpetual  obligation.' 

"  In  reply,  we  may  state  another  rule  of 
interpretation.     (Sec   Horner's   Introduction, 


50  CIIKIST    ASD    ADORNMENTS. 


abridged,  p.  152.)  'Negatives  are  binding  at 
all  times;  that  is,  we  must  never  do  that  which 
is  forbidden,  though  good  may  ultimately 
come  from  it.' 

''Another  consideration  which  shows  this 
passage  to  be  of  general  application,  is,  that 
it  was  first  written  by  Peter,  to  all  Christians, 
and,  that  about  fonr  or  five  years  afterward,  it 
was  deemed  of  sntficient  importance  to  form  a 
part  of  Paul's  instructions  to  Timothy,  as  pas- 
tor of  the  church  at  Ephesus  :  '  In  like  manner 
also,  that  women  adorn  themselves  in  modest 
apparel,  with  shamefacedness  and  sobriet}^ ; 
not  with  braided  hair,  or  gold,  or  pearls,  or 
costly  array;  but  (which  becometh  women 
professing  godliness)  with  good  works.'  (1  Tim. 
ii.  9,  10.)  This  gave  it  a  fresh  sanction,  and 
rendered  it  obligatory  npon  the  ministry  to  en- 
force the  rule  given  for  the  government  of  all. 

"Besides,  the  same  reasons  exist  for  it  now 
as  then.  In  confirmation  of  all  the  above,  it 
may  be  well  to  consider  the  fact  that  no  such 
moral  text  ever  has  but  one  meaning;  Avhich 
meaning  is  to  be  ascertained  just  as  we  would 
that  of  any  other  writing,  viz :  by  the  w^hole 
scope  of  the  context,  taken  in  connection  with 
the   general  sentiments  of  the   writer.     The 


CHRIST   AND    ADORNMENTS.  61 


scope  is  here  plainly  announced,  by  saying 
that  the  purpose  is  to  win  the  husband. 
(See  1  Peter,  iii :  1.)  That  this  may  be  done, 
husbands  must  see  their  Avives  observing  a 
'  chaste  conversation,  coupled  with  fear,'  and 
keeping  the  command  alread}^  mentioned, 
'whose  adorning  let  it  not  be  that  outward 
adorning  of  plaiting  the  hair,  and  of  wearing 
of  gold,  or  of  putting  on  of  apparel ;  but  let  it 
be  the  hidden  man  of  the  heart,  in  that  which 
is  not  corruptible,  even  the  ornament  of  a  meek 
and  quiet  spirit,  which  is,  in  the  sight  of  God, 
of  great  price.'  'For  after  this  manner,  in 
the  old  time  the  hoi}'  women  also,  who  trusted 
in  God,  adorned  themselves,'  etc.  Let  com- 
mon sense  say  wdiich  Avould  be  the  most 
likely  to  win  the  husband  or  others  from  the 
world  to  Christ,  the  exhibition  of  the  spirit 
of  vanity,  which  loves  to  be  decked  in  the 
gaudy  trappings  of  the  wxirld,  or  the  meek 
and  quiet  spirit,  which  is,  in  the  sight  of  God, 
of  great  price.  The  general  sentiments  of  the 
writer,  none  can  deny,  favor  a  total  separa- 
tion from  the  world,  in  spirit  and  in  practice. 
'•  It  would  be  needless  to  quote  passages  in 
illustration  of  the  foct.  (See  chap,  i:  13,  14; 
chap,  ii:  9,  12  ;  chap,  iv  :  1,  3,  etc.)     We  con- 


52  CHRIST    AND    ADORNxMENTS. 


elude,  then,  that  if  there  is  any  meaning  at 
all  in  those  passages,  it  is  that  which  is  borne 
out  upon  the  very  face  of  the  words  employed, 
and  that  we  have  no  right  to  bend  them  to  any 
other. 

"Ey  what  authority  can  any  one  expunge 
this  commandment  from  the  sacred  oracles, 
or,  what  is  equivalent  to  it,  explain  away  its 
force,  and  make  it  a  mere  form  of  words,  with 
no  meaning  and  no  sanction?  Let  such  he- 
ware,  lest  he  practical!}"  hring  upon  himself 
the  curse  denounced  against  such  as  '  take 
away  from  the  words  of  the  book,'  etc.  (Rev. 
xxii:  19.)"     (Gift  of  Power,  pp.  270-272.) 

But  as  such  passages  are  practically  con- 
sidered of  so  little  significance,  an  analytical 
view  of  them  may  better  enable  us  to  appre- 
hend their  meaning. 

1  Tim.,  ii:  9,  10.  1  Peter,  iii:  3,  4. 

"In    like    manner    also,         "Whose  adorning, 
that    women    adorn    them- 
selves,    .     .    . 

not  with  braided  hair,  or  let  it  not  be  that  outward 
gold,  or  pearls,  or  costly  adorning  of  plaiting  the 
array,     .     .     .  hair,    and    of    wearing    of 

gold,  or   of  putting  on    of 

apparel ; 
but  ...  in  modest  apparel,     but  let  it  he  the  hidden  man 


CHRIST    AND    ADORNMENTS.  53 


Trith  shame-facedness  and  of  the  heart  in  that  which 

sobriety,"  and  '-(which  be-  is  not  corruptible,  even  the 

coraetli    women    professing  ornament    of    a    meek    and 

godliness)     with      good  quiet  spirit,  which  is  in  the 

works."  sight  of  God  of  great  price." 

The  collation  of  these  parallel  passages 
shows  that  there  are  two  kinds  of  adorn- 
ment permitted,  (-'modest  apparel"  and  "good 
works,")  and  one  forbidden.  "  Whose  adorn- 
ing ^  i.e  ,  the  adornment  of  the  necessary  ap- 
]H(rel,  (for  the  "  modest  apparel,"  when  at- 
tended with  the  '^meek  and  quiet  spirit"  and 
good  w^orks  which  '■'•hecomctli'  them  and  is  of 
"great  price  before  God,")  is  one  ornament, loiii 
is  opposed  to  an  other  "outward  adornment," 
which  consists  in  "braided  hair,  and  gold, 
and  pearls,  and  costly  array,"  which  last  is 
supposed  to  be  inconsistent  with  the  "  hidden 
man  of  the  heart,"  "  the  meek  and  quiet 
spirit,"  etc.,  wdiich  is  the  second  adornment 
permitted. 

The  meaning  of  the  Apostles  is  well  con- 
veyed in  a  liberal  rendering  with  which  we 
have  been  favored  by  James  Strong,  S.  T,  D. 
(1  Peter,  iii:  3,  4.)  "Of  whom  let  there  be  not 
the  outward  ornament  of  imbraiding  of  hair 
and  investiture  of  golden  (trinkets,)  or  putting 
on  of  garments,  but  the  concealed  man  of  the 


54  CHRIST    AND    ADORNMENTS. 


heart,  in  the  incorrupt  (state)  of  the  mild  and 
quiet  spirit  which  is  high-priced  before  God." 

1  Tim.,  ii :  9,  10.  "  Likewise,  also,  (I  will) 
that  the  women  ad(n'n  themselves  in  decorous 
habiliments,  with  modesty  and  sobriety,  not 
in  braids,  or  gold,  or  pearls,  or  high-priced 
clothing,  but  (which  becomes  women  promis- 
ing piet}',)  through  good  Avorks." 

The  opposition  between  the  different  mem- 
bers of  tlie  sentences  embraced,  prove  con- 
clusively that  the  apostle  meant  to  be  under- 
stood as  teaching  the  essential  incongruity  of 
the  outward  ornaments,  and  the  "  incorrupt 
(state)  of  the  mild  and  quiet  spirit  widch  is  high- 
priced  be/ore  God.'' 

Thus  agree  Clarke,  Wesley,  Benson,  Robin- 
son, Conybeare,  Burkitt,  Olshausen,  Scott, 
Barnes,  etc. 

The  truth  is,  there  is  no  possibility  of 
evading  the  2:)lain,  literal  construction  of  these 
inspired  words.  And  if  inspired,  they  mean 
some  thing.  Eeader,  pause  and  learn  that 
meaning  before  you  dare  to  trifle  further  with 
their  prohibited  indulgences.  Xor  deem  them 
trifles.  God's  book  is  not  made  up  of  trifles. 
And  if  it  were,  the  practice  which  they  reprove 
can  not  be  a  trifle,  so  lono-  as  it  is  loved  so 


CHRIST    AND    ADORNMENTS.  55 


well  that  you  refuse  to  surrender  it  in  obe- 
dience to  a  divine  command. 

If  any  thing  more  were  needed  to  demon- 
strate absolutely  the  truth  of  the  above  posi- 
tion, it  is  found  in  the  corroborating  passages 
which  abound  throughout  the  Bible. 

"  I  have  given  them  thy  word ;  and  the 
world  hath  hated  them,  because  they  are  not 
of  the  world,  even  as  I  am  not  of  the  world. 
1  pray  not  that  thou  shouldst  take  them  out 
of  the  world,  but  that  thou  shouldst  keep  them 
from  the  evil.  They  are  not  of  the  world, 
even  as  I  am  not  of  the  world."'  (John,  xvii : 
14-16.) 

"  Love  not  the  world,  neither  the  things 
thai  are  in  the  world.  If  any  man  love  the 
world,  the  love  of  the  Father  is  not  in  him." 
(1  John,  ii:  15.) 

'^  Ye  adulterers  and  adulteresses,  know^  ye  not 
that  the  friendship  of  the  world  is  enmity  with 
God?  whosoever  therefore  will  be  a  friend  of 
the  world  is  the  enemy  of  God."  (James,  iv :  4.) 

"  I  beseech  you  therefore,  brethren,  by  the 
mercies  of  God,  that  ye  present  your  bodies  a 
living  sacrifice,  holy,  acceptable  unto  God, 
icMch  is  your  reasonable  service.  And  be  not 
conformed  to  this  world,  but  be  ye  transformed 


56  CHRIST    AND    ADORNMENTS. 


by  the  renewing  of  your  niincl,  that  ye  may 
prove  what  is  that  good,  and  acceptable,  and 
perfect  will  of  God."  (Eom.,  xii :  1,  2.) 

If  these  are  not  sufficiently  decisive,  we  not 
only  despair  of  finding  any  thing  in  the  scrip- 
tures that  would  be,  but  we  renounce  the  hope 
that  language  can  furnish  terms  sufficiently 
explicit  and  strong  to  settle  the  question.  Nor 
can  it.  For  so  perverting  is  the  indulgence, 
thai  the  love  of  it  will  impel  many  to  quibble 
where  every  thing  is  plain,  ol»ject  where  every 
thing  is  reasonable,  torture  to  false  meanings 
from  hatred  to  the  true,  deny  vfhat  is  clearly 
demonstrated,  and  persist  in  their  course, 
braving  all  consequences. 

We  have  now  answered  the  question,  "What 
is  the  mind  of  Christ  with  respect  to  Chris- 
tians adorning  their  persons  with  jewelry  and 
gay  and  costly  attire,"  in  six  distinct  partic- 
ulars, each  of  which  contains  evidence  enough 
to  convince  an}-  jury  in  the  land,  in  any  case 
of  civil  jurisprudence;  and  all  of  which  united, 
forms  a  body  of  testimony  which  is  utterly 
irresistible,  except  by  those  wdiose  willful 
blindness  would  afford  a  practical  demon- 
stration, corroborating,  in  tlie  most  convincing 
manner,  the  truth  at  which  we  have  arrived. 


CHRIST    AND    ADORNMENTS. 


It  would  be  easy  to  multiply  proofs  until 
the  mind  would  lose  in  their  number  the  per- 
ception of  their  weight,  but  we  forbear.  To 
the  unbiased  reason  a  voice  from  heaven, 
proclaiming  in  the  tones  of  the  arch-angel 
himself  the  utter,  inveterate,  and  eternal 
hatred  of  Christ  toward  those  things,  could 
not  add  to  the  weight  of  evidence  already 
afforded,  and  if  any  person  is  not  convinced, 
it  is  because  the  perverse  nature  Kill  not  be. 

These  indulgences  are  in  complete  hostility 
to  the  nature  of  Christ.  They  violate  the 
whole  scope  and  tenor  of  the  sacred  scrip- 
tures; the  statements  of  which,  in  analogous 
cases,  are  invariably  condemnatory;  their 
effect  upon  christian  character  is  evil  and 
only  evil,  and  that  continually;  the  II0I3' 
Spirit  denounces  and  prohibits  them;  and 
finally,  the  word  of  God  as  clearly  and  as 
explicitly  as  language  can  speak,  utters  its 
prohibitions.  If  these  all  fail  to  express  His 
mind,  the  very  stones  must  cry  out! 


58  CHRIST    AND    ADORNMENTS. 


CHAPTER    II. 

The  second  question  propounded  in  the 
present  essay  is.  What  is  the  oftect  of  such 
adorning  upon  the  Individual,  the  Church, 
and  the  World  ? 

Ans.  I.  The  efi'cct  upon  the  Individual. 

First.  It  squanders  the  means  which  God 
has  given  for  better  purposes,  and  for  which 
he  will  hold  every  one  to  the  strictest  ac- 
countability. 

"The  earth  is  the  Lord's,  and  the  fullness 
thereof."  "The  silver  and  the  gold  are  his." 
Wo  poor  mortals  have  nothing,  ahsolutely 
7iofhi7ig,  in  our  own  right.  We  are  stewards 
of  the  Lord's  treasures,  and  that  which  we 
possess  is  only  loaned  us  for  a  time,  that  we 
may  "  make  to  ourselves  friends  of  the  mam- 
mon of  unrighteousness,  that  we  may  be  re- 
ceived at  last  into  everlasting  habitations." 

Statistics  show  that  for  every  eighteen  dollars 
exj)ended  in  the  M.  E.  Church  in  her  benevolent 
enterprises,  and  the  support  of  the  ministry, 
one  soul  is  converted.  If  any  thing  near 
the  same  ratio  exists  in  other  churches,  w^ith 
what  accusing  voices   do  our  empty  mission- 


CHRIST   AND    ADORNMENTS.  59 


ary  treasuries  plead,  as  their  miglity  claims, 
freighted  with  immortal  destinies,  are  turned 
aside  by  the  gift  of  the  silver  dime,  when 
tens  or  hundreds  of  golden  dollars  might  he 
substituted  by  casting  the  useless  and  forbid- 
den adornments  at  the  foot  of  the  cross. 

Many  christian  Avomen  bear  constantly  upon 
their  persons  useless  ornaments  enough  to  sus- 
tain a  missionary  and  his  family  in  the  most 
distant  portions  of  the  work.  To  such  the 
example  of  the  ancient  Israelites  is  worthy 
of  all  imitation.  '•  And  Aaron  said  unto 
them,  Break  off  the  golden  earrings  which 
are  in  the  ears  of  3'our  wives,  of  your  sons, 
and  of  your  daughters,  and  bring  thern  unto 
me."  (Exodus,  xxxii :  2.)  "And  they  came, 
both  men  and  women,  as  many  as  were 
willing  hearted,  and  brought  bracelets,  and 
earrings,  and  rings,  and  tablets,  all  jev\^els 
of  gold  ;  and  every  man  that  oifered,  offered 
an  offering  of  gold  unto  the  Lord."  (Ex. 
xxxv :  22.)  "We  have  therefore  brought  an 
oblation  for  the  Lord,  what  every  man  hath 
gotten,  of  jewels  of  gold,  chains,  and  brace- 
lets, rings,  earrings,  and  tablets,  to  make  an 
atonement  for  our  souls  before  the  Lord." 
(Num.  xxxi :  50.) 


60  CHRIST    AND    ADORNMENTS. 

For  ourself,  we  can  but  question  the  piety 
or  the  education  of  that  person  who  habitu- 
ally expends  double  or  treble  the  amount 
really  needed  for  personal  adornments  and 
dress,  while  objects  of  charity  throng  on 
every  side. 

God  has  not  so  arranged  the  affairs  of  life, 
that  our  expenditures  must  seek  the  distrib- 
uting energies  of  extravagance  in  default  of 
the  opportunities  implied  in  Pr(n^  xi  :  25. 
''The  liberal  soul  shall  be  made  fat:  and  he 
that  watereth  shall  be  watered  also  himself;'' 
or  in  Isa.,  Iviii :  10.  "  And  //  thou  draw  out\ 
thy  soul  1o  the  hungry,  and  satisfy  the  afflicted  j 
soul,  then  shall  thy  light  rise  in  obscurity,  : 
and  thy  darkness  be  as  the  noonday."  Ko, 
no.  The  lap  of  want  is  spread  beside  the 
pathway  of  the  most  favored  daughter  of 
luxury,  and  she  need  not  even  step  aside  to 
cast  her  offerings  upon  it.  From  every  one 
who  has  a  heart  to  feel  for  human  wo,  and  a 
hand  able  to  give  a  "silver  lining"  to  the 
dark  clouds  of  sorrowing  destitution.  Clod 
has  a  right  to  expect  a  hearty  response  to 
his  suggestive  injunction,  "Withhold  not 
good  from  them  to  whom  it  is  due,  when 
it  is  in  the  power    of  thine    hand    to    do  it.f 


CHRIST    AND    ADORNMENTS.  61 


Say  not  unto  thy  nciglibor,  Go,  and  come 
again,  and  to-morrow  I  will  give,  when  thou 
hast  it  by  thee."  (Prov.,  iii:  27,28.)  He 
does  require  it,  and  the  recording  angel  writes 
against  every  dollar  expended  for  mere  orna- 
ment, or  to  procure  costlier  apparel  than  is 
actually  needed,  the  bitter  condemnation.  It 
was  squandered. 

Squandered,  thougii  pity  wept;  squander- 
ed, though  benevolence  remonstrated  ;  squan- 
dered, though  religion  frowned;  squandered, 
though  responsibility  trembled  ;  squandered, 
though  sympathy  chilled  within  :  squandered 
because  Pride  and  Fashion  bade.  O,  cursed 
Pride  I — 0,  Fashion!  gay  enchanters,  wiling 
to  the  pit— ye  handmaids  of  perdition  !  God 
save  his  children  from  your  snares! 

Another  effect  upon  the  individual  of  such 
adornment,  is,  that — 

It  misspends  his  time.  ^'  A  minister,  calling 
to  visit  a  lady,  was  detained  a  long  time  while 
she  was  dressing.  At  length  she  made  her 
appearance,  bedizened  in  all  the  frippery  of 
fashion  and  folly.  The  minister  was  in  tears. 
She  asked  the  cause  of  his  grief;  v/hen  he 
replied,  'I  weep,  madam,  to  think,  that  an 
immortal  being  should  spend  so  much  of  that 


62  CHKIST    AND    ADORNxMENTS. 


j)recioiis  time  which  was  given  lier  to  prepare 
for  eternit}^,  in  thus  vainly  adorning  that 
body  Avhieh  must  so  soon  become  a  prey  to 
worms.'  '^ 

The  reproof  in  tliis  instance  was  blessed  to 
the  conversion  of  the  lady.  But,  alas!  how 
many  pass  on  to  the  dying  hour,  without  the 
rebuke,  and  destitute  of  its  benefits.  One 
such  exclaimed  to  several  ministers  who 
came  to  comfort  her,  "  Call  back  time  again. 
If  3'ou  can  call  back  time  again,  then  there 
may  be  ho2:)0  for  me.  But  time  is  gone." 
How  bitter  must  be  the  reflections  wliich  the 
strange  excitements  of  the  departing  hour 
force  upon  the  spirit  that  has  allowed  time 
to  run  away  in  the  gay  pursuits  of  fashion, 
or  in  decking  the  perishing  body  with  the 
emblazoned  heraldries  of  the  kingdom  of 
darkness.  How  scathing  such  a  retrospect 
of  life.  Time's  sands  run  out  and  time's 
work  all  undone!  How  appalling  the  visions 
that  gather  in  dim  and  shadowy  outline  just 
beyond  the  portals  of  the  grave  ! 

When  we  remember  that  time  is  given  to  us 
for  the  noblest  of  purposes,  and  that,  at  the 
best,  it  is  fearfull}^  curtailed  by  a  thousand 
nameless  circumstances  that  occupy  the  mind 


CHRIST    AND    ADORNMENTS.  63 


for  the  pasaiiig  instant,  it  becomes  a  question 
of  serious  moment,  how  best  to  improve  what 
remains  to  lis.  We  may  scarcely  be  said  to 
begin  to  live  the  real  responsible  life  of  the 
world  until  the  age  of  fifteen.  Supposing 
then  that  we  survive  the  average  length  of 
human  life,  we  have  but  fifteen  more  in 
wliich  to  work  out  the  mighty  problem  of 
future  destiny. 

But  when  we  subtract  from  this  the  time 
consumed  in  sleeping,  eating,  domestic  duties, 
and  the  necessary  socialities  of  life,  wo  are 
narrowed  down  to  three  or  four  hours  a  day 
for  the  most  favored,  and  scarcely  a  single 
one  for  those  not  so  well  situated,  as  the 
utmost  that  can  be  devoted  to  the  concerns 
of  the  s^il^-  ^ow,  if  from  that  single  hour 
three-fourths  be  separated  for  a  |yainfully  pre- 
cise and  finical  toilet,  which  might  just  as 
well  have  been  accomplished  in  other  hours, 
how  fearfully  does  it  abridge  the  Bible  lesson, 
the  private  prayer,  and  the  self-examination 
necessary  to  a  boly  life.  And  is  there  no 
wrong  in  this?  Behold  ye  have  robbed  God: 
this  whole  people  have  robbed  God.  "But 
ye  say,  "Wherein  have  we  robbed  thee  ?  In 
tithes  and  offerings."     Ah,  should  the  ghosts 


64  CHRIST    AND    ADORNMENTS. 


of  all  these  murdered  hours  rise  before  the 
astonished  gaze  of  that  careless  fair  one,  as 
she  prinks  and  trims  beside  their  new  made 
graves  in  her  own  dressing  room,  how  soon 
would  she  oast  aside  the  suicidal  employment. 
It  is  no  wonder  that  personal  piety  dwindles 
to  such  puerile  results.  It  is  no  wonder  that 
a  poAverless,  cold,  dead  formalism  possesses 
the  church.  In  labored  attempts  to  win  com- 
pliments from  some  dandy  fool,  or  from  some 
circle  of  silly  and  stupid  self-spoiled  world- 
lings, time  enough  is  spent  every  year  by 
thousands  who  name  the  name  of  Christ,  to 
pray  a  dozen  souls  to  heaven.  Yes,  if  it  were 
possible,  to  take  them  there  even  in  Elijah's 
chariot  of  fire.  How  many  arc  now  mourn- 
ing over  their  coldness  and  want  of  joy,  who, 
if  they  would  spend  but  one-fourth  of  the 
time  each  day  in  private  religious  devotion 
that  they  nov7  do  in  private  and  most  intense 
devotion  to  the  goddess  of  Fashion,  would 
soon  shine  as  lights  in  the  world,  instead  of 
emitting  the  feeble  and  sickly  glare  which 
only  lures  others  to  destruction  and  misery. 
Thousands  upon  thousands  in  our  land  are 
daily  in  this  very  way  enlisting,  body  and 
soul,  in  the  army  of  evil,  and  by  their  influ- 


CHRIST   AND    ADORNMENTS.  65 

ence  seeking  recruits  for  satan's  service  and 
doom  among  the  gay  around  them.  Would 
to  God  they  were  less  successful. 

The  very  thought  that  the  godlike  powers 
of  the  immortal  soul  are  prostituted  to  pur- 
poses so  far  beneath  its  dignity,  and  that  too 
in  the  bright  morning  of  life,  when  it  should 
be  ranging  aloft,  dwelling  upon  the  grandeur 
of  its  eternal  destiny,  and  gathering  its  ener- 
gies for  the  mighty  sweep  of  time  toward 
the  judgment,  the  thought  that  then  its  pre- 
cious moments  should  be  thus  occupied,  and 
its  loft}'  nature  cramped  and  fettered,  and 
hoodwinked,  and  paralyzed,  O,  it  is  too 
much  to  realize  in  all  its  terrible  extent  of 
degradation ! 

Simply  as  a  method  of  employing  the  ac- 
tivities of  the  soul,  aside  from  all  considera- 
tion of  its  results,  it  should  meet  the  most 
severe  rej)rehension  from  every  lover  of  his 
fellow.  The  silly  peacock  may  expand  his 
tail  and  strut  about  in  contemplation  of  its 
beauties,  and  it  does  just  what  we  may  ex- 
pect. For  the  adornment  is  one  which  God  has 
given,  and  the  employment  is  on  a  level  with 
the  powers  bestowed.  But  for  "  godlike"  man 
and  •*  angelic"  woman  to  adopt  the  customs 


G()  CHRIST    AND    ADORNMENTS. 

of  barbarians,  and  imagine  that  they  are  dig- 
nified by  gold,  and  gems,  and  costly  attire, 
and  that  the  arrangement  of  these  is  the 
liight  of  their  mental  and  spiritual  aspira- 
tions, exhibits  fiir  too  low  an  estimate  of  hu- 
man worth. 

An  other  consequence  of  this  practice  is, 
that— 

It  perverts  the  judgment. 

There  can  be  no  right  judgment  except 
there  be  exemption  from  the  bias  of  prejudice. 
But  prejudice  is  a  necessary  consequence  of  a 
corrupted  will  and  a  selfish  nature,  both  of 
which  are,  more  or  less,  involved  in  the  habit 
of  adornment.     The  well-known  lines — 

"  A  man,  convinced  against  his  will, 
Is  of  tlie  same  opinion  still," 

express  a  truth  in  the  phenomena  of  mind, 
against  which  we  can  not  close  our  eyes,  and 
form  a  fitting  preface  to  the  declaration  of 
Holy  Writ,  "  There  is  a  way  that  seemeth 
right  unto  a  man,  but  the  end  thereof  are 
the  TV  ays  of  death."  A  person  may  be  sincere 
in  a  wrong  belief,  at  the  time  of  avowing 
it,  but  there  has  previously  been  the  basest 
treachery  to  his  moral  nature,  to  produce  the 
blindness.     Innocence  in  the  possession  of  a 


CHRIST    AND    ADORNMENTS.  67 


belief,  and  sincerity  in  that  belief,  are  not 
necessarily  conjoined.  Pride,  and  selfishness, 
and  corrupt  will,  may  have  educated  the  judg- 
ment into  the  way  which  it  now  approves,  but 
from  which  it  may  once  have  shrunk  in  deej)- 
est  abhorrence.  Isor  is  this  so  laborious  a 
work  as  might  be  supposed.  The  path  of 
moral  deterioration  is  a  down-hill  road,  and 
may  have  little  to  prevent  the  smoothness  of 
its  progress. 

The  soil,  which  has  been  carefully  cultivated 
and  weeded,  needs  only  a  little  neglect  to 
cause  a  perverted  growth  of  thistles  to  spring 
up.  So  it  is  with  man.  Perversion  is  a 
growth  of  man's  fallen  nature,  and  needs  the 
exterminating  hand  of  holy  purposes  and 
divine  affections  to  supplant  it,  while  selfish- 
ness would  only  foster  its  development.  Per- 
haps some  who  read  this  essay  will  not  be 
convinced,  after  all  the  evidence  that  has  been 
adduced,  that  habits  of  adornment  are  wrong. 
If  so,  we  point  to  their  own  j^osition  as  proof 
of  what  we  have  just  affirmed. 

An  other  result  of  this  habit,  subordinate 
to  the  foregoing,  is  this :  It  establishes  a  false 
standard  of  Taste. 

The  perversion,  in  this  case,  consists  in  an 


68  CHRIST   AND   ADORNMENTS. 


erroneous  judgment  of  the  beautiful.  All 
true  beauty  is  the  result  of  a  nice  adaptation 
of  the  means  used  to  produce  it,  to  the  nature 
and  circumstances  of  the  object  to  be  adorned. 
AVhen  angels  are  depicted,  they  always  appear 
in  modest  female  loveliness,  or  in  the  noble 
beauty  of  manhood  in  its  purity,  but  are 
never  adorned  with  the  glittering  tinsel  of 
fashion's  drapery. 

The  intuitive  perception  of  our  reason,  in 
reference  to  them,  at  least,  supports  the  sen- 
timent— 

"  Beauty,  when  unadorned,  adorned  the  most."  [ 

For  we  feel  that  that  which  constitutes  their 
beauty  inheres  within,  belongs  to  their  essen- 
tial spirituality.  How  strangely  do  w^e  forget 
that  the  same  rule  applies  to  ourselves.  And 
the  perversion  lies,  not  in  over-estimating  the 
inherent  value  of  beauty,  or  the  good  which 
it  confers,  but  in  transferring  it  from  the 
essential  spirituality  to  a  mere  accident  of  its 
existence,  or,  in  other  words,  from  mind  to 
matter. 

We  would  not  teach  the  young  to  despise 
either  beauty  or  its  adventitious  aids,  but  we 
would  have  them  learn  that  its  highest  forms 
in  man,  as  in  angels,  consist  in  the  adornments 


CHRIST   AND  ADORNMENTS.  69 


of  the  mind  ^nd  tlie  spirit.  Whenever,  then, 
the  outward  form  is  made  to  assume  the  rights 
and  privileges  of  mind,  in  this  respect,  it  is  a 
perversion  of  judgment,  lamentable  net  only 
in  itself,  but  because  of  its  evil  influence  upon 
every  other  interest  connected  with  this  sub- 
ject. To  illustrate.  The  mind,  thus  perverted, 
can  not  readily  be  made  to  feel  the  sinfulness 
of  such  indulgence,  because  it  has  fortified 
itself  behind  a  supposed  necessity  for  adorn- 
ment, assuming  that  the  body,  and  not  the 
mind,  is  the  fit  subject  of  its  efforts.  For  the 
same  reason,  the  claims  of  benevolence  can 
not  be  honored.  Thus  we  might  pass  over 
all  the  moral  virtues,  and  show  that  the  warp- 
ing power  of  this  perverted  judgment,  by 
erecting  a  false  standard  of  truth,  falls  with 
crushing  influence  upon  each. 

But  the  standard  which  is  recognized  is  not 
merely  -false,  it  is  also  degrading.  The  statu- 
ary which  arrests  and  enchains  a  world's  ad- 
miration, is  never  adorned  in  the  glittering 
gewgaws  of  worldly  pride.  But  the  figures 
in  those  paintings  which  are  hung  up  in  cer- 
tain places  on  purpose  to  degrade  and  inflame 
the  imagination,  and  excite  the  passions  of  the 
unwary,  as  well  as  their  living  originals  as  they 


70  CHRIST    A.Nl)    A1>0K.NMENTS. 


walk  forth  to  lure  their  victims  to  "the  way 
that  takes  hokl  on  hell;"  these  are,  as  is  well 
known,  invested  with  the  adornments  needful 
for  their  work.    A  word  to  the  wise  is  sufficient. 

Again,  this  habit  cultivates  selfishness,  and 
corrupts  the  will. 

The  principle  of  selfishness  is,  perhaps,  the 
strongest  exhibition  of  depravity  that  human 
nature  furnishes.  While  it  has  in  itself  no 
element  of  good,  and  is  powerless  to  bestow 
blessings  upon  its  j^ossessor,  it  is  the  fruitful 
seed  of  man}-  vices  fatal  to  the  happiness  of 
the  individual,  to  the  peace  of  society,  and  to 
the  progress  of  the  cause  of  Christ.  In  its  es- 
sence and  in  all  its  forms,  it  is  opposed  to  that 
true  love  and  that  genuine  benevolence  which 
the  religion  of  Christ  imparts,  and  in  the  pos- 
session of  which  alone  can  man  be  prepared 
to  dwell  with  God,  who  himself  is  Love. 

Hence  the  renunciation  of  selfishness  is  en- 
joined, as  a  first  principle,  in  christian  expe- 
rience. The  passage  which  has  been  already 
quoted,  "  Ye  are  not  your  own,  for  ye  are 
bought  with  a  price;  therefore,  glorify  God 
in  your  body  and  in  your  spirit,  which  are 
God's,"  is  an  authoritative  statement  of  the 
truth ;  and  the  inference  from  the  declaration 


UHRIST   AJSD    AD0BNMENT8.  71 

'•  therefore  glorify  God,"  etc.,  is  a  mandatory 
summary  of  our  obligations.  The  common 
)'eason  of  mankind  has  nniied  with  the  Bible 
in  the  condemnation  of  the  evil,  and,  though 
it  Jias  had  no  power  sufficient  to  restrain  its 
workings,  still  recognizes  the  desirableness  of 
such  restraint  in  the  whole  code  of  social 
politeness  and  formal  etiquette. 

In  theory,  society  scorns  the  epithet  of 
selfishness,  and  leaves  boors  and  savages  to 
wallow  in  its  degrading  associations.  Were 
it  unrepressed,  earth  would  soon  become  a 
pandemonium  more  dreadful  than  ever  poet's 
vision  saw,  or  artist's  colors  painted.  Yet  so 
spontaneous  and  active  is  it  in  the  human 
breast,  that,  notwithstanding  the  condemna- 
tion of  reason  and  religion,  and  the  super- 
added experience  of  its  bitterness,  it  still 
lives  in  countless  forms  of  disgusting  loath- 
someness. It  must  be  evident,  then,  to  every 
one,  that  any  thing  having  a  tendency  to  cul- 
tivate a  principle  so  destructive,  must  be 
wrong,  and  should  be  carefully  avoided. 

We  have  asserted  that  indulgences  in  dis- 
play have  such  a  tendency,  and  it  can  be 
easily  shown  that  such  is  the  energy  of  their 
influence  as  to  rise  even  to  the  position  of  a 


72  CHRIST   AND   ADORNMENTS. 


direct  educational  power.  The  appeal  may 
first  be  made  to  surface  facts,  patent  to  the 
observation  of  every  one.  We  see  persons  in 
every  walk  of  life  using  the  means  which  are 
actually  needed  for  the  good  of  others  de- 
pendent upon  them,  in  procuring  the  adorn- 
ments of  pride.  Parents  limit  the  education 
of  their  children,  because  their  expenditures 
for  dress  and  ornament  are  so  great  that  it 
can  not  be  afforded.  Church  members  curtail 
their  subscription  for  the  support  of  the  min- 
istry, and  leave  their  pastors  to  toil  on  in 
straightened  circumstances  and  with  care- 
burdened  minds,  because  of  their  own  use- 
less indulgences.  Eings,  bracelets,  pins,  and 
costly  robes,  etc.,  are  purchased  instead  of 
the  useful  book.  The  expenditure  of  tv/o 
dollars  extra  on  a  new  garment  excludes  the 
religious  newspaper.  The  payment  of  one 
hundred  dollars  for  watch  and  chain  reduces 
the  subscription  to  some  benevolent  society 
fifty  dollars  for  the  year.  Thus  runs  the 
evil.  What  is  it  but  selfishness  in  all  its 
naked  deformity,  if  stripped  of  the  fixncied 
'necessity  which  Fashion  throws  around  it? 
Necessity  indeed!  The  silly  dupes  may 
blind    themselves   and  others  who   are    akin 


CHRIST    ANi>    ADORNMENTS.  73 


of  spirit,  but  the  degrading  subterfuge  is  too 
transparent  to  satisfy  for  a  single  instant  the 
demands  of  humanity,  much  less  the  claims  of 
perjured  honesty  and  outraged  piety.  Away 
with  the  hypocritical  cant,  and  at  least  have 
the  manhood  to  declare  your  preference  for 
Rclfish  indulgences  over  the  pleasurable  duties 
of  benevolence,  over  the  gospel  obligations 
relative  to  the  ministry,  over  all  the  self- 
denying  efforts  of  religion. 

Corruption  of  the  will  must  also  be  a 
result.  There  is  indeed  no  doubt  that  this 
faculty  has  much  to  do  in  forming  the  habit. 
But  the  indulgence  of  the  habit  has  a  reflex 
influence  in  corrupting  still  farther  the  vol- 
untary power,  till  a  habit  of  sinful  determina- 
tion relative  to  this  subject  is  formed. 

Such  is  the  complex  nature  of  the  mind, 
and  such  the  mutual  influence  of  its  faculties, 
that  selfishness  can  never  be  indulged  except 
at  the  expense  of  a  burdened  conscience  and 
a  corrupted  will.  Hence  it  is  that  men  be- 
come more  and  more  hardened  by  long  per- 
sistence in  evil  practices,  until  it  seems  in 
some  cases  an  open  question  whether  con- 
science is  not  totally  paralyzed,  and  the  will 


74  CHRIST    AND    ADORNMENTS. 


SO    depraved  that   it   lias    lost   all   power  -of 
choosing  the  right. 

In  the  same  manner,  though  not  to  the 
same  extent,  the  experience  of  those  who 
have  conscientious  scruples  about  adornment, 
in  their  hours  of  deeper  religious  feeling,  and 
who  lose  them  vrith  declining  piety,  illus- 
trates the  great  fact  that  every  forbidden  in- 
dulgence corrupts  the  will.  AVhen  the  will  is 
yielding  under  the  presence  of  religious  emo- 
tions, the  mind  is  awake  to  the  responsibilit}' 
of  the  habit,  but  no  sooner  does  its  native  cor- 
ruption resume  a  portion  of  its  sway,  than  re- 
turning insensibility  evidences  its  fearful  pro- 
gress in  the  downward  way.  It  may  be  held 
as  an  axiom  in  mental  j^hilosophy,  that  every 
development  of  selfishness  corrupts  the  will, 
and  prepares  it  for  some  greater  exhibition 
of  its  depravity.  Then  when  that  develop- 
ment is  the  consequence  not  merely  of  an  act 
but  of  an  established  habit^  its  deteriorating 
influence  is  in  the  ratio  of  its  own  strength 
and  permanence.  If,  in  other  respects,  the 
practice  of  adornment  is  inexpedient  and  haz- 
ardous, in  this  it  is  absolutely  suicidal.  It 
is  a  voluntary  degradation  of  the  voluntar}^ 
power,  a  willful  choosing  of  the  wrong,  with 


CHRIST    AND    ADORNMENTS.  75 

the  fuil  consciousness  that  the  choice  perpet- 
uates itself  b}'  rendering  it  more  and  more 
difficult  even  to  prefer  the  right. 

Selfishness  being  thus  cultured  and  the  will 
thus  corrupted,  the  \vay  is  prepared  ibr  an- 
other evil.     That  is, 

The  excitement  of  the  passions. 

The  love  of  display  may  become  so  absorb- 
ing that  its  own  most  proper  designation  is 
7)assion.  And  that  passion  in  many  cases 
rushes  to  the  fearful  verge  of  moral  madness. 
How  many,  when  once  they  have  entered 
upon  the  career  of  fashionable  dissipation, 
have  found  no  halting  place,  even  though 
religion,  and  affection,  and  reason,  and  self- 
preservation,  cried  in  their  ears,  until  bank- 
ruptcy, and  ruined  health,  and  a  dissolute 
fiunily  have  brought  them  to  their  senses 
just  in  time  to  see  the  wreck  which  their  in- 
sane extravagance  had  spread  around  them, 
and  then  to  sink  to  an  unwelcome  grave,  or 
else,  as  frail  and  shattered  vanities  to  live  on, 
the  mere  foam  of  existence,  cursed  and  curs- 
ing till  they  die. 

This  result  is  no  doubt  largely  attributable 
to  the  fact  before  stated,  viz :  the  false  judg- 
ment  of  the   beautiful.      Beauty,  unless   in- 


76  CHRIST    A^'D   ADORNMENTS. 


trinsic,  depends,  to  a  great  extent,  upon  tho 
laws  of  association.  So  long  as  an  article  of 
apparel  is  confined  to  the  circle  of  the  noble, 
wealthy,  and  refined,  it  is  considered  tasteful, 
but  no  sooner  does  it  begin  its  downward 
course  through  the  various  ranks  of  society, 
than  it  presents  itself  in  every  conceivable  as- 
sociation, and  is  at  once  placed  under  the  ban 
of  a  cultivated  taste.  Hence  arises  the  neces- 
sity of  the  frequent  changes  in  Fashion.  These 
changes,  recurring  so  often,  engross  so  much 
of  the  time  and  attention,  that  at  length  the 
habit  of  solicitude  respecting  them  becomes 
paramount  to  every  other,  and  the  poor  de- 
luded victim  presents  the  sad  spectacle  of  a 
half  demented  "  butterfly  of  Fashion." 

"  During  the  occupancy  of  the  city  of  Moscow 
by  the  French  army,  a  party  of  -officers  and 
soldiers  determined  to  have  a  military  levee, 
and  for  this  purpose  chose  the  deserted  palace 
of  a  nobleman,  in  the  vault  of  which  a  largo 
quantity  of  powder  had  been  deposited.  That 
night  the  city  was  set  on  fire.  As  the  sun 
went  down  they  began  to  assemble.  The 
females  who  followed  the  fortunes  of  the 
French  forces  were  decorated  for  the  occa- 
Bion.     The   gayest  and  noblest  of  the    army 


CHRIST    AND    ADORNMENTS.  77 


were  there,  iind  merriment  reigned  over  the 
crowd.  During  the  dance  the  fire  rapidly- 
approached  them;  they  saw  it  coming,  but 
felt  no  fear.  At  length  the  building  next  to 
the  one  which  they  occupied  was  on  fire. 
Coming  to  the  windows,  they  gazed  upon 
the  billows  of  fire  which  swept  upon  their 
fortress,  and  then  returned  to  their  amuse- 
ment. Again  and  again  they  left  their  amuse- 
ment to  watch  the  progress  of  the  flames.  At 
length  the  dance  ceased,  and  the  necessity  of 
leaving  the  scene  of  merriment  became  ap- 
parent to  all.  They  were  enveloped  in  a 
flood  of  fire,  and  gazed  on  with  deep  and 
awful  solemnity.  At  length  the  fire,  commu- 
nicating to  their  own  building,  caused  them 
to  prepare  for  flight,  when  a  brave  young 
officer  named  Carnot,  waved  his  jeweled 
glove  above  his  head,  and  exclaimed,  '  One 
dance  m-ore,  and  defiance  to  the  flames.'  All 
caught  the  enthusiasm  of  the  moment,  and 
'  one  dance  more  and  defiance  to  the  flames,' 
burst  from  the  lips  of  all.  The  dance  com- 
menced. Louder  and  louder  grew  the  sound 
of  music,  and  faster  and  faster  fell  the  patter- 
ing footsteps  of  dancing  men  and  women, 
when   suddenly  they  heard    a  cry,  '  The  fire 


78  CHRIST    AND    ADORNMENTS. 


has  reached  the  magazine!  Fly!  Fly  for  life  !' 
One  moment  they  stood  transfixed  with  hor- 
ror— they  did  not  know  the  magazine  was 
there — and  ere  they  recovered  from  their  stu- 
por, the  vault  exploded,  the  building  was 
shattered  to  pieces,  and  the  dancers  were 
hurried  into  a  fearful  eternity." 

How  fitly  does  this  represent  the  fearful  com- 
mercial conflagration  that  is  now  sweeping 
with  such  desolating  fury  over  the  world. 
Men  were  warned  of  its  apj^roacli.  They  gazed 
upon  the  nearing  flames.  But  they  turned 
again  to  their  pleasures,  till  involved  in  the 
general  crash  of  ruin.  More  than  one  firm  of 
heavy  capital  and  abundant  resources,  has 
failed,  for  want  of  a  few  hundred  dollars,  which 
but  a  short  time  previously  had  been  wasted 
in  some  fashionable  extravagance.  But  such 
was  the  intoxicating  power  of  the  indulgence, 
that  the  bewildered  victims  whirled  on  like 
the  giddy  dancers,  till  the  retributions  of  a 
righteous  providence  arrested  their  career. 

Not  only  does  it  develop  the  passion  of 
display,  but  with  it  envy,  jealousy,  pride,  evil 
speaking,  hypocrisy,  covetousness,  hatred, 
and  discontent.  When  once  the  passion  for 
adornment  takes  possession  of  the  mind,  the 


CHRIST   AND    ADORNMENTS.  79 


more  fortunate  devotee  is  envied  with  an 
intensity  proportioned  to  her  success.  Jeal- 
ousy watches  Avith  an  evil  eye  and  a  slan- 
derous tongue  every  movement  of  a  rival. 
Hypocrisy  waits  with  cringing  flattery  and 
self-degrading  duplicity,  in  the  halls  of  the 
pampered  millionaire.  Covetousness  gloats 
upon  his  gathered  stores.  Hatred  w^atches 
the  gains  of  others  in  hope  that  fire  or  flood 
will  destroy  them.  And  all  combined  fan 
hio-h  the  flames  of  discontent.  Such  is  the 
retinue  of  sinful  adornment.  If  they  do  not 
all  appear  in  every  case,  praise  not  the  habit 
for  the  exemption.  Would  3'ou  laud  the  cup 
because  all  who  quaff  its  sparkling  cheer  do 
not  die  drunkards?  I^either  does  the  fact 
that  other  causes  have  repressed  a  portion 
of  the  evil,  give  ground  for  the  judgment  of 
charity.  "But  if  ye  have  bitter  envying  and 
strife  in  your  hearts,  glory  not,  and  lie  not 
against  the  truth.  This  wisdom  descendeth 
not  from  above,  but  is  earthly,  sensual,  devil- 
ish. For  where  envying  and  strife  zs,  there 
is  confusion  and  every  evil  work.  But  the 
wisdom  that  is  from  above  is  first  pure,  then 
peaceable,  gentle,  and  easy  to  be  entreated, 
full  of  mercy  and  good  fruits,  without  parti- 
6 


80  CHRIST   AISD    ADORNMENTS. 

ality,  and  without  hypocrisy."  (James,  iii . 
14-17.) 

Bad  as  is  the  representation  made  above,  it 
does  not  reach  the  whole  truth.  There  are 
facts  which  may  not  be  told  in  the  ears  of  all. 
There  is  a  way  that  takes  hold  on  hell.  And 
when  vice  allures  the  strongest,  it  is  when 
arrayed  in  the  trappings  of  luxurious  vanity. 
When  virtue  is  most  tempted,  it  is  when  be- 
guiled by  charms  whose  setting  is  the  blinding 
witchery  of  Fashion's  drapery  and  the  glit- 
tering enticements  of  gem-decked  pleasures. 

Again,  this  habit  chills  the  sympathies, 
hardens  the  heart,  and  degrades  the  mind. 

It  is  a  law  of  mind,  that  the  exhibition  of 
mock  sympathy,  or  the  exercise  of  real  sym- 
path}^  to  an  excessive  degree  in  known  cases 
of  no  real  importance,  is  chilling  and  ulti- 
mately destructive  to  sympathy  itself  Hence 
it  is  that  novel-reading,  by  its  excitement  of 
the  sympathies  when  it  is  known  that  there 
is  no  reality  answering  to  the  sympathetic 
emotion,  is  so  injurious  to  the  mental  and 
moral  nature.  So  with  the  practice  under 
review.  It  is  notorious  that  a  rent  collar,  or 
spotted  dress,  or  broken  article  of  jewelry, 
will  call  forth  condolence  enough  to  bury  one 


CKJllST    Alsi)    AL»UK-NMKiST6.  81 


in  sympathy,  -when  the  possessor  is  quite  pro- 
bably thiinking  her  stars  for  the  accident, 
because  it  will  afford  a  good  excuse  to  get  an 
other.  A  beggar  at  the  door  will  be  turned 
away  that  very  hour,  with  nrany  self  righteous 
and  pert  remarks  about  the  -  impropriety  of 
encouraging  street  beggars,'*  etc. 

As  justly,  ae  keenl}^  has  '-^N^othing  to  wear" 
satirized  a  similar  ditsposition. 

"Still  an  other,  whose  tortures  have  been  most  terrific, 

Even  since  the  sad  loss  of  the  steamer  Pacific, 

In  v»'hich  Vfere  ingulfed,  not  friend  or  relation, 

(For  whose  fate  sh©  perhaps  might  liave  found  consolation. 

Or  lx)rne  it,  at  least,  with  serene  resignation.) 

ikst  the  choicest  assortmeut  of  French  sleeves  and  collars, 

Ever  sent  out  from  Paris,  worth  thousands  of  dollars, 

And  all  us  to  style  most  recherche  and  rare. 

The  want  of  which  leaves  her  with  nothing  to  wear, 

And  renders  her  life  so  drear  and  dyspeptic 

That  she's  quite  a  recluse,  and  almost  a  skeptic. 

For  she  touchingly  says  that  thi.s  sort  of  grief 

Can  not  find  in  Religion  the  slightest  relief, 

And  philosophy  has  not  a  maxim  to  spare 

For  the  victims  of  such  overwhelming  despair." 

Again,  when  speaking 

"  Of  those  fossil  remains  which  she  called  her  '  affections,' 
And  that  rather  decayed,  but  well-known  work  of  art, 
Which  Miss  Flora  persisted  in  styling  'her  heart," 


Hz  C11KI6T    Ai\l>    ADOKNxMENTS, 

he   lias  well  painted    the  results  of  such  in- 
dulgence. 

And  in  proportion  to  the  deadening  of  the 
natural  sympathies,  is  that  insensibility  to 
the  influences  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  which  is 
hardness  of  the  heart  and  reprobacy  of  mind. 
In  a  world  of  suffering  like  ours,  we  can  but 
deplore  any  thing  that  tends  to  repress  the 
spontaneous  outgushings  of  the  fraternal  feel- 
ing which  the  benevolent  Creator  has  placed 
in  each  human  bosom.  We  can  but  regard 
every  such  attempt  as  an  attack  npon  the 
vital  interests  of  society  that  should  never  be 
tolerated.  "  Eejoice  with  them  that  do  re- 
joice, and  weep  with  them  that  weep."  (Eom. 
xii  :  15.)  •'  Put  on  therefore,  as  the  elect  of 
God,  holy  and  beloved,  bowels  of  mercies, 
kindness,  humbleness  of  mind,  meeknesss, 
long-sulFeriug,  forbearing  one  another,  and 
forgiving  one  another,  if  any  man  have  a 
quarrel  against  any  :  even  as  Christ  forgave 
you.  so  also  do  ye.  And  above  all  these 
things  ]rtit  on  cluirity,  which  is  the  bond  of 
perfectness.  And  let  the  peace  of  God  rule 
in  your  hearts,  to  the  vfhich  also  ye  are  called 
in  one  body  ;  and  be  ye  thankful.  Let  the 
word   of  Christ   dwell    in    vou   richly  in   all 


CHRIST    AND    ADORNMENTS,  83 


wisdom ;  teaching  and  admonishing  one  an- 
other in  psahns  and  hymns  and  spiritual 
songs,  singing  with  grace  in  your  hearts  to 
the  Lord.  And  whatsoever  ye  do  in  word  or 
deed,  do  all  in  the  name  of  the  Lord  Jesus, 
giving  thanks  to  God  and  the  Father  by 
him."  (Col.  iii :  12-17.)  These  passages  con- 
tain the  Bible  rule  and  measure  of  the  grace, 
with  its  associate  manifestations.  Compare 
these  statements  with  the  frivolity,  selfish- 
ness, and  recklessness,  connected  with  a  con- 
firmed habit  of  adornment,  and  yon  have  in 
their  essential  antagonism  a  proof  of  the 
chilling  influence  which  it  must  exert  upon 
true  sympathy.  And  when  added  to  all  this 
is  a  growing  insensibility  to  the  only  influ- 
ence that  can  stem  the  tide  of  ruin  and  re- 
generate the  nature,  we  have  one  of  the  most 
complete  pictures  of  the  desperate  depravity 
of  the  heart  and  the  reckless  daring  of  conse- 
quences, that  the  sad  history  of  humanity  af- 
fords within  the  ranks  of  respectable  society. 
It  is  no  wonder  that  poets  and  romance  wri- 
ters have  stigmatized  "the  world,"  i.  e.,  the 
fashionable  world,  as  "  heartless."  In  doing 
so,  they  have  recorded  not  merely  the  im- 
pression which  the  outward  appearance  would 


84  CHRIST    AND    ADORNMENTS. 


give,  but  they  have  analyzed  the  inner  sour- 
ces of  thought  and  feeling,  and  characterized 
them  in  accordance  with  the  eifect  that  natu- 
rally ensues  to  themselves  from  this  course  of 
life.  Heartless  they  are,  not  merely  in  refer- 
ence to  the  g]*eat  interests  of  humanity,  but 
as  regards  tlic  mighty  claims  which  crowd 
upon  us  in  connection  with  the  scheme  of 
redemj^tion  by  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ. 

As  a  necessary  corollary  from  all  that  pre- 
cedes, it  must  follow  that — 

The  habit  of  display  degrades  the  mind. 

Nor  is  it  a  degradation  merely  in  theory, 
or  in  the  e^^es  of  those  who  note  all  tenden- 
cies with  philosophic  precision,  and  weigh 
them  with  scientiiic  care.  It  is  a  st'lf-conscious 
humiliation,  all  the  niore  galling  as  it  is  felt 
to  be  foll3^  The  worldling  may  for  a  time 
remain  unconscious  of  the  mighty  powers 
within  him,  and  may  forget  his  destinj^,  but 
vanities  and  dreams  will  not  always  satisfy 
the  earnest  longings  of  the  immortal  nature, 
and  sometimes  he  wull  awaken  to  the  fact 
that  he  is  passing  through  this  land  of  sha- 
dows to  one  of  realities  too  substantial  to  be 
evaded,  and  then  he  knows,  he  feels  for  the 
moment,  how  degrading  to  all  the  nobler  in- 


CHRIST    AND    ADORNMENTS.  85 


stincts  of  his  being,  is  such  a  life  of  "  painted 
outsides  and  hollow  pretenses."  But  alas  1 
as  '•  the  dog  is  turned  to  his  own  vomit 
again ;  and  the  sow  that  was  washed,  to  her 
vrallowing  in  the  mire,"  so  turns  his  soul 
again  to  pleasure's  circles,  that  her  deeper 
draught  may  drown  his  fears,  and  stupify 
his  consciousness  of  a  hereafter.  Thus  a 
deeper  degradation  follows  close  upon  the 
recollection  of  the  one  that  has  gone  before, 
until  he  becomes  in  reality  fit  for  little  else 
than  to  be  preserved  for  a  time  as  are  the 
abnormal  members  of  the  human  frame,  to 
be  a  warning  to  others. 

But  the  guilt  of  such  voluntary  disarrange- 
ment of  the  handiwork  of  the  Almighty, 
such  willful  enslavement  of  all  the  immortal 
powers  of  the  blood-bought  soul,  who  shall 
estimate  ?  Since  the  moral  suicide  is  as 
complete,  we  see  no  difference  between  "  life 
drained  droj)  by  drop  from  the  soul,  and 
that  sent  forth  at  a  blow  from  the  red  hand." 
Many  have  died  upon  the  gallows  for  crime 
committed  in  the  heat  of  momentary  passion, 
with  far  less  real  degradation  of  the  moral 
nature,  and  less  willful  criminality  before 
Crod.  than  mu&t  be  attached   to  the  character 


86  CHRIST    AND    ADORNMENTS. 


of  one  who  deliberately  Squanders  Means, 
Misspends  Time,  Perverts  the  Judg- 
3IENT,  Cultivates  Selfishness,  Corrupts 
the  Will,  Excites  the  Passions,  Chills 
THE  Sympathies,  Hardens  the  Heart,  De- 
grades THE  Mind,  and   all  for   so  poor  a 

MOTIVE  AND  FOR  SO  TRANSIENT  AND  DECEP- 
TIVE   A    REWARD. 

The  habit  of  pa3^ing  undue  attention  to 
trifles  when  things  of  real  importance  demand 
the  thought,  is  always  deteriorating  to  the 
mental  constitution,  and  if  long  persisted  in, 
unfits  it  to  take  calm  and  proper  views  of  the 
real  interests  of  existence,  or  to  struggle  suc- 
cessfully with  the  evils  of  the  world.  Few 
greater  misfortunes  can  befall  a  youth  than  to 
be  trained  into  the  belief  that  dress  and  ap- 
pearance are  the  supreme  good  after  which  to 
aspire,  and  the  chief  responsibilities  of  pro- 
bation. To  allow  silks  and  satins,  sleeves  and 
collars,  shawls  and  ermine,  lace  and  jewelry, 
etc.,  to  engross  the  attention,  when  all  the 
powers  of  the  soul  should  be  engaged  in  the 
grand  struggle  for  an  imperishable  crown,  is 
necessarily  disarranging  to  the  order  of  men- 
tal action,  destructive  to  the  proper  balance 
of  the  powers  (irhich  even   safety   from    crime. 


CHRIST   AND   ADORNMENTS.  87 


demands),  and  effectually  nullifying  to  the 
claims  of  Grod.  Can  it  be  expected,  then,  that 
God  shall  be  unmindful  of  this  thing? 

We  have  intimated  that  safety  from  crime 
demands  the  proper  balance  of  the  mental 
powers.  This  truth  will  need  very  little 
elucidation.  If  the  passions  usurp  the  au- 
thority of  the  conscience,  and  the  mandates 
of  Fashion  are  esteemed  of  higher  authority 
than  the  will  of  Grod,  it  is  plain  that  the  law 
of  progression  which  controls  all  our  activities, 
must  point  toward  an  alliance  with  evil  at 
some  future  stage  of  the  descending  road, 
which  will  be  marked  by  a  development  of 
the  passions  audacious  in  a  degree  commen- 
surate with  their  increased  strength.  AVhat 
the  crime  then  developed  shall  be,  may  de- 
pend much  upon  circumstances,  but  the  ten- 
dency to  some  crime  lies  within  the  very 
nature  of  self-degradation.  Even  if  the  ten- 
dency never  grows  into  an  actual  commission 
of  criminal  acts,  it  will  be  because  of  counter- 
acting influences. 

When  to  this  we  add  the  weight  of  consid- 
erations still  to  be  urged,  it  must  be  plain  to 
every  mind  that  a  gradual  steeling  of  the 
mind  against  all  good  influences  is  an  attend- 


88  CHRIST    AND    ADORNMENTS. 

ant  phenomenon  of  the  retrogression,  and  that 
the  soul  is  thus  left  defenseless  and  j^owerless 
amid  tlie  tendencies  to  ruin  surrounding  it. 
Novv^  place  such  a  mind  amid  the  dissipations 
and  follies,  and  hypocrisies  of  fashionable  life; 
let  the  social  affections  and  sympathies  be 
scathed,  and  the  conscience  silenced,  and  the 
passions  excited;  let  it  be  the  demoralizing 
fact  that  wealth  instead  of  character  is  the 
standard  of  respectability ;  lot  the  rake  and 
the  debauchee  be  the  admitted  companions 
and  equals ;  let  all  this  be  so,  and  then  must 
human  nature  be  something  more  than  it  is, 
if  virtue's  strongest  temptations  lie  not  con- 
cealed amid  the  opportunities  which  waltzes 
at  late  hours,  and  their  kindred  amusements, 
so  sedulously  present. 

Again,  this  habit  causes  the  violation  of 
the  most  solemn  religious  vows. 

Such  vows  have  been  made  at  times  un- 
numbered in  the  history  of  every  professing 
christian.  In  the  bitterness  of  penitential 
emotion,  while  drinking  the  "wormwood  and 
the  gall,"  they  were  lisped  forth  in  the  cham- 
ber of  secret  prayer,  or  in  utter  wretchedness 
groaned  out  upon  the  midnight  couch  of  tor- 
turing reflections. 


(JlIllIST    A:ND    AI>uilx\ME^'Tr5.  89 

"I'll  go  to  Jesus,  though  my  sin 
Like  mountains  round  me  close; 
I  know  his  courts,  I  '11  enter  in, 
Whatever  may  oppose. 

"Prostrate  I'll  lie  before  his  throne, 

And  there  my  guilt  confess ; 

I'll  tell  him  I'm  a  wretch  undone 

Without  his  sov'reign  grace. 

"  I  can  but  perish  if  I  go, 

I  am  resolved  to  try ; 
For,  if  I  stay  away,  I  know 
I  must  for  ever  die.'' 

Then  follo^Yed  the  act  of  solemn  consecrta- 
lion. 

"Nay,  but  I  yield,  I  yield; 
I  can  hold  out  no  more; 
I  sink,  by  dying  love  compelled, 
And  own  thee  conqueror. 

"Though  late,  I  all  forsake; 
My  friends,  my  all  resign ; 
Gracious  Redeemer,  take,  0  take. 
And  seal  me  ever  thine." 

Then  when  the  mighty  work  was  done,  how 
joyfully  they  sang — 

"  He  justly  claims  us  for  his  own. 
Who  bought  us  with  a  price; 
The  christian  lives  to  Christ  alone. 
To  Christ  alon^  he  dies. 


90  CHRIST    AND    ADORNMENTS. 


"Jesus,  thine  own  at  last  receive; 
Fulfill  our  heart's  desire; 
And  let  us  to  tliy  glory  live, 
And  in  thy  cause  expire. 

"Our  souls  and  bodies  we  resign; 
With  joy  we  render  thee 
Our  all — no  longer  ours,  but  thine, 
To  all  eternity." 
And  repeatedly,   as  gratitude   has  swelled 
their  bosoms,  have  they  exclaimed— 
"If  so  poor  a  worm  as  I 

May  to  thy  great  glory  live, 
All  my  actions  sanctif}^. 

All  my  words  and  thoughts  receive; 
Claim  me  for  thy  service,  claim 
All  I  have  and  all  I  am. 
"Take  my  soul  and  body's  powers; 
Take  my  mem'ry,  mind,  and  will; 
All  my  goods  and  all  my  hours ; 

All  I  know,  and  all  I  feel ; 
All  I  think,  or  speak,  or  do ; 
Take  my  heart,  but  make  it  new." 
When  receiving  the  symbols  of  the  broken 
body  and  shed  blood  of  our  Lord,  their  lan- 
guage has  been — 

"Thou  God  of  covenant-cd  grace, 
Hear  and  record  my  vow, 
While  in  thy  courts  I  seek  thy  face. 
And  at  thine  altar  l.ow. 


CHRIST   AND    ADORNMENTS.  91 

"Henceforth  to  thee  myself  I  give, 
With  single  heart  and  eye, 
To  walk  before  thee  while  I  live, 
And  bless  thee  when  I  die,"' 

And  ofttimes  when  coldness  has  long  held 
them,  but  the}'  have  at  length  aroused  from 
their  lethargy,  they  have  joined  in  the  ex- 
pressions— 

"Thine  would  I  live,  thine  would  I  die; 
Bo  thine  through  all  eternity; 
The  vow  is  passed  beyond  repeal, 
And  now  I  set  the  solemn  seal. 

"  Here  at  that  cross  where  flows  the  blood 
That  bought  my  guilty  soul  for  God, 
Thee  my  new  Master  now  I  call, 
And  consecrate  to  thee  my  all." 

And  as  returning  joys  have  brightened  their 
hopes  of  heaven,  O,  with  what  heartiness  have 
they  cried — 

"'T  is  done,  the  gi^eat  transaction's  done; 
I  am  my  Lord's  and  he  is  mine; 
He  drew  me,  and  I  followed  on. 
Charmed  to  confess  the  voice  divine. 

"Now  rest,  my  long  divided  heart; 
Fixed  on  this  blissful  center,  rest; 
Nor  ever  from  thy  Lord  depart ; 
With  him  of  every  good  possessed.*' 


CHRIST    AND    ADOKNMENTS. 


"High  Heaven,  tliat  heard  the  solemn  vow, 

That  vow  renewed  shall  daily  hear, 
Till  in  life's  latest  hour  I  bow, 

And  bless  in  death  a  bond  so  dear." 

In  that  deeply  interesting  moment  when,  in 
the  baptismal  rite,  they  took  upon  them- 
selves the  solemn  obligation  to  live  as  his 
covenant  people,  they  promised  to  "  renounce 
the  devil  and  all  his  Vv^orks,  the  vain  pomp 
anil  glory  of  the  world,  with  all  covetous  de- 
sires of  the  same,  and  the  carnal  desires  of 
the  flesh,  so  as  not  to  follow  or  be  led  by 
them."  ''A  condition  of  church  membership 
is  that  the  candidate  shall  have  been  bap- 
tized, and,  of  course,  b}^  plain  implication,  is 
living  in  the  performance  of  the  baptismal 
vow.  This  vow  can  never  be  innocently 
broken  with  God,  because  founded  upon  un- 
changing rights.  And  it  is  a  compact  with 
the  church  universal  in  baptism,  and  with 
the  particular  branch  of  the  church  with 
which  the  candidate  united,  which  can  never 
be  repealed." 

Thus  does  the  practice  of  adornment  not 
only  violate  all  the  consecration  vows  of  pen- 
itence and  of  gratitude — vows  which  have 
been  made  in  the  most  trvino-  circumstances 


CHRIST    AISD    ADUKiNMENTS.  93 


of  life  ;  that  have  been  repeated  when  bend- 
ing over  the  sufiering  form  of  some  loved 
one.  or  wlien  wiping  the  death -damps  from 
the  brovv^  of  some  cherished  hope,  or  when 
gazing  into  the  cold  and  cheerless  grave  of 
some  blighted  affection — not  only  all  these 
does  it  disregard,  but  it  holds  the  solemn 
compacts  of  church  relationship  as  things  of 
naught. 

True,  those  who  are  thus  guilty  may  en- 
deavor to  extenuate  their  fault.  "  Perhaps 
there  is  no  sophism  more  generally  acted 
upon  than  this.  'The  obligations  of  an  indi- 
vidual are  measured  by  his  character.'  For 
example,  the  backslider  considers  himself 
exempt  from  christian  duty,  because  he  does 
not  possess  the  christian  character.  It  is  a 
great  mistake.  Obligations  are  eternal  and 
immutable,  and  no  change  of  character  can 
ever  abrogate  them.  We  thence  conclude, 
that  such  vows  and  compacts  can  never  be 
innocently  broken.  Yet  every  person  who 
practices  what  we  condemn  in  this  article,  is 
guilty  of  the  violation  of  his  baptismal  vow, 
and  his  vow  of  church  relationship.  Let  such 
tell  us  upon  what  principle  they  claim  the 
honor  of  the  christian  name,  while  thev  still 


94  CHRIST    AND    ADORNxMENTS. 

persist  in  such  a  course."  (Gift  of  Power,  p. 
262.) 

"  Ofter  unto  God  thanksgiving ;  and  pay 
thy  vows  unto  the  Most  High."  (Ps.  50,  14.) 
"  Wiien  thou  vowest  a  vow  unto  God,  defer 
not  to  pay  it;  for  lie  hath  no  pleasure  in  fools: 
pay  that  which  thou  hast  vowed.  Better  is  it 
that  thou  shouldst  not  vow,  than  that  thou 
shouldst  vow  and  not  pay.  Suffer  not  thy 
mouth  to  cause  thy  flesh  to  sin;  neither  say 
thou  before  the  angel,  that  it  icas  an  error: 
wherefore  should  God  be  angry  at  thy  voice, 
and  destroy  the  work  of  thine  hands?  "(Eccl. 
v:  4-6.) 

Another  consequence  of  the  practice  of 
adornment  is  that — 

It  creates  a  habit  of  sinful  indulgence. 

It  has  been  well  said,  '•  We  paint  our  lives 
in  fresco.  The  soft  and  facile  plaster  of  the 
moment  hardens  under  every  stroke  of  the 
brush  into  eternal  rock."  Trnthfiiliy  and 
beautifully  does  this  express  the  power  of 
habit.  Every  word  and  every  thought  is 
shaping  the  soul  into  some  form  of  activity 
or  repose,  which,  if  strengthened  to  a  given 
point,  will  remain  as  unchangeable  as  the 
decrees  of  fate. 


CHRIST    AND    ADOKNxMENTti.  95 


The  muscles  of  the  human  frame  may  be 
irained  by  the  influence  of  habit  to  an  almost 
incredible  degree  of  vigor  and  endurance.  A 
Turkish  porter  will  trot  at  a  rapid  pace,  and 
carry  a  weight  of  six  hundred  pounds.  "  Milo, 
a  celebrated  athlete  of  Crotona,  in  Italy,  ac- 
customed himself  to  carry  the  greatest  bur- 
dens, and  by  degrees  became  a  monster  in 
strength.  It  is  said  that  he  carried  on  his 
shoulder  an  ox  four  years  old,  weighing  up- 
ward of  one  thousand  pounds,  and  afterward 
killed  him  with  one  blow  of  his  Ust.  He 
was  seven  times  crowned  at  the  Pythian 
games,  and  six  at  the  Olympic.  He  presented 
himself  the  seventh  time,  but  no  one  had  the 
courage  to  enter  the  list  against  him.  He 
Avas  one  of  the  disciples  of  Pythagoras,  and 
10  Ills  uncommoji  strengtli  that  learned  pre- 
ceptor and  his  pupils  ov;ed  their  lives.  The 
pillar  that  supported  the  roof  of  the  building 
suddenly  gave  way,  Init  Milo  supported  the 
roof  of  the  house,  and  gave  the  philosopher 
time  to  escape." 

So  with  the  mind.  By  slow  and  impercep- 
tible degrees  it  may  be  molded  to  any  course 
of  action,  and  confirmed  in  the  effort  until 
its  activities  shall  run  to  it  as  readily  as  they 


96  CHKiST    A.NI>    ADOBNMENIS. 

did  originally  in  their  natural  channels,  and 
with  even  greater  strength. 

Habit  is  stronger  than  nature.  It  becomes 
then  a  question  of  serious  moment.  What 
habits  are  our  actions  forming?  The  voice  of 
desire  listened  to  once,  prepares  the  ear  for 
a  second  audience.  The  prohibited  pleasure 
gazed  upon  to-day,  leaves  a  little  of  its  attrac- 
tion for  the  display  of  to-morrow.  The  sin- 
ful indulgence  which  now  courts  favor  once 
smiled  upon,  it  will  grovv^  Avith  rolling  years, 
till  the  humble  beggar  of  your  clemency  shall 
lord  it  over  reason,  conscience,  all,  and  till 
you  shall  find  yourself  the  bond  slave  of  a 
tyranny  as  degrading  as  at  the  outset  it  w\as 
insignificant. 

"Vice  is  a  monster  of  so  frightful  mien, 
As,  to  be  hated,  needs  but  to  be  seen  ; 
Yet  seen  too  oft,  familiar  with  her  face, 
We  first  endure,  then  pity,  then  embrace." 

This  is  the  philosophy  of  the  habit  of  indul- 
gence created  by  the  practice  of  adornment. 
When  first  entered  upon  it  is  with  faltering 
accents  and  trembling  steps.  But  soon  the 
step  is  firmer  and  the  tones  more  full.  At 
last  with  reckless  haste  and  wild  impassioned 


CHRIST   AND   ADORNMENTS.  97 


notes,  the  course  is  rushed  over  till  it  ends  in 
ruin  and  death. 

One  such  habit  of  induli^ence  formed,  and 
the  rash  experimenter  is  moving  down  the 
slope  where  every  gratification  adds  momen- 
tum to  his  progress,  and  each  acceleration  of 
velocity  brings  with  it  the  luring  power  of 
some  other  sin  lying  right  along  his  pathway. 
These  combined  excite  the  appetite  for  some 
still  untasted  sweet  of  pleasure,  till  habit  is 
interwoven  with  habit,  sin  interfused  with 
sin,  and  all  interpenetrated  with  corruption. 
Then  how  hard,  O  how  hard  for  him  to  check 
his  career,  and  retrace  his  steps  up  the  long, 
toilsome  steep  of  self-denying  effort  and  cross- 
bearing  activity. 

Let  me  here  address  the  young  and  gay. 
You  expect  to  prepare  for  death  at  some 
future  time,  and  are  fully  conscious  that  your 
present  conduct  is  not  leading  you  toward 
that  preparation.  On  the  contrary,  if  you 
have  serious  impressions  you  are  well  aware 
that  a  few  follies  will  effectually  dissipate 
them.  ISTow  let  me  ask.  Where  is  the  founda- 
tion of  your  hope  of  turning  one  day  to  God? 
If  now,  in  the  spring  time  of  life,  with  your 
hearts  free  from  the  cares  of  the  world,  un- 


OB  CHRIST   AND   ADORNMENTS, 


trammelled  by  the  sinful  habits  of  long  years, 
unburdened  with  the   guilt  of  age,  if  now, 
with  all  these   favorable  circumstances,  you 
deliberately  slight  the   instructions   of  your 
sabbath  school,  and  if,  in  spite  of  the  remon- 
strances of  your  conscience,  and  the  strivings 
of  the  Spirit,  you  calmly,  deliberately,  and 
with  purpose  forsworn,  cast  yourself  into  the 
eddying  tide  of  fashionable  indulgences,  mar 
your  character  by  the  cultivation  of  selfish- 
ness, by  the  corruption  of  your  will,  by  the 
perversion  of  your  judgment,  by  the  excite- 
ment of  your  passions,  and,  by  the  creation 
of  habits  of  sinful  indulgence,  and,  in  addi- 
tion, load  yourself  with  the  guilt  of  squan- 
dered means,  and  misspent  time,  and  broken 
vows ;   if  you  willfully  do  all  this,  where  is 
the  foundation  of  your   hope  that  while  the 
whirl  of  the  life-dance  is  about  you,  you  will 
turn  from  the  evil  of   your   ways    and   seek 
after  God  ?     And  even  if  by  some  rare  provi- 
dence, with  all  these  fearful  odds  against  you, 
you  should    be    brought   to   reflection,    is   it 
wise,  is  it  prudent,  is  it  safe^  to  lay  up  such 
a  magazine  of  material  for  the  life-struggle 
that  is  to  follow  ?     O,  the  bitter  groans  that 
the  breaking  of  those  habits  will  then  cost ; 


CHRIST   AND   ADORNMENTS.  99 


the  intense,  fearful,  desperate  struggle  with 
your  own  nature  that  then  must  be  ;  the  vain 
regrets,  the  grief-wrung  prayers,  the  legion 
of  discouragements,  and  all  this  when  but  a 
few  short  steps  from  the  darkness  of  the 
GRAVE.  O,  beware,  beware !  The  voice  of 
the  siren  may  be  sweet,  and  the  form  of  the 
enchantress  may  be  decked  in  nameless  beau- 
ties, but  remember  that  her  silver  tones  speak 
naught  but  lies,  her  gorgeous  drapery  is  but 
the  semblance  of  a  dream.  Her  bowers  may 
be  fragrant  with  the  richest  perfume,  they 
may  be  fanned  by  the  softest  zephyrs,  they 
may  be  jubilant  with  soul-stirring  strains. 
But  the  perfumes  will  prove  to  be  but  the 
odor  which  poisons  as  it  pleases,  the  breezes 
will  bear  miasma  on  their  breath,  the  jubilant 
strains  w^ill  be  the  sounds  of  joy  never  to  be 
realized. 

The  first  habit  of  sinful  indulgence  is  the 
temporal  and  eternal  ruin  of  all  those  whose 
transgressions  are  visited  upon  them  here. 
The  culprit  upon  the  gallows,  the  criminal  in 
the  prison,  and  the  wretch  whom  justice  still 
allows  to  run  at  large,  were  made  what  they 
have  become  by  the  first  habit  of  sinful  in- 
dulgence.    A  fearful  thing  it  is  to  tamper  with 


100  CHRIST   AND   ADORNMENTS. 


the  moral  virtues  of  the  soul.  Like  vestal 
fires  they  should  be  guarded  with  pious  zeal, 
and  the  hand  that  should  dare  to  smother 
one  of  them  should  meet  the  bitter  execration 
which  its  sacrilege  would  deserve. 

As  a  consequence  of  the  foregoing,  the  habit 
of  adornment — 

Increases  the  love  of  the  world. 

This  proposition  may  be  denied,  but  a  mo- 
ment's reflection  will  be  suflicient  to  con- 
vince the  objector,  that  if  one  sympathizes  to 
such  an  extent  with  the  world  as  to  choose 
its  livery  and  desire  its  associations,  these 
things,  by  the  inevitable  laws  of  mind,  will 
deepen  that  sympathy  into  love.  There  is 
something  so  weakening  to  the  christian 
graces  in  the  fact  of  being  placed  under 
false  colors,  that  the  inconsistency  of  being 
in  such  a  position  is  forgotten  in  the  dread 
of  the  further  inconsistency  of  being  exhib- 
ited in  the  midst  of  such  associations.  Hence 
these  graces  are  trimmed  down  to  the  low  stan- 
dard of  worldly  formalism,  while  the  love  of 
the  world  triumphs  in  their  defeat,  and  rises 
by  their  fall. 

A  poor  thing  to  love  is  this  world,  and  small 
is  the  merit  of  any  attempt  to  make  us  love 


CHRIST   AND    ADORNMENTS.  101 


it  better,  especially  since  it  is  in  open  com- 
petition with  the  love  of  Christ. 

Every  action  has  a  tendency  to  make  us 
love  the  world  more,  or  Christ  better,  and  no 
action  can  increase  our  love  for  both.  ]N"ow, 
if  the  practice  of  adornment  does  deepen  our 
piety  and  quicken  our  zeal,  we  have  nothing 
more  to  say.  If  it  does  not  do  this,  it  must 
tend  to  the  opposite,  as  experience  and  scrip- 
ture declare  that  it  always  does.  "Know  ye 
not  that  the  friendship  of  the  world  is  at 
enmity  with  Grod?  Whosoever  therefore  will 
be  a  friend  of  the  world  is  the  enemy  of 
God."     (James,  iv:  4.) 

Again,  the  habit  of  adornment  enslaves  the 
conscience. 

This  it  does  by  impeaching  the  authority 
of  heaven  in  what  it  pleases  to  term  unim- 
portant matters,  and  by  rendering  life  a 
continuous  chain  of  habitual  transgressions. 
There  is  no  more  common  error  than  the 
supposition  that  the  enormity  of  our  offenses 
is  gauged  by  our  estimate  of  them.  With 
God  there  is  no  comparative  scale  of  trans- 
gression, except  as  our  sins  concern  the  in- 
terests of  our  fellow-men.  We  may  contract 
as  much  guilt  by  a  so-called  little  sin  as  by 


102  CHRIST  AND  ADORNMENTS. 


many  Avhich  rank  higher  among  men  upon 
the  category  of  crime.  The  authority  of  a 
lawgiver  may  be  as  much  questioned  by  a 
minor  transgression  as  by  one  that  involves 
more  extended  interests.  Hence  the  declara- 
tion, "  Whosoever  shall  keep  the  whole  law, 
and  yet  offend  in  one  2^oint^  he  is  guilty  of  all." 
(James,  ii :  10.) 

When  the  Eubicon  is  once  passed,  though 
but  a  step  beyond  may  have  been  taken,  the 
soul  is  committed  to  evil  as  certainly  as  though 
it  were  left  far  in  the  rear,  yet  then  the  flat- 
tering unction  is  laid  to  that  soul  that  all  is 
right.  Because  the  stream  has  proved  so 
narrow,  it  would  fain  believe  that  it  has  not 
been  crossed  at  all,  while  in  fact  it  stands 
upon  the  farther  shore. 

Thus  the  conscience  is  enslaved,  and  then 
life  becomes  a  scene  of  continuous  sin,  binding 
the  chains  still  tighter  around  the  moral  sense 
till  it  ceases  to  remonstrate,  and  leaves  the 
soul,  like  the  helmless  ship,  the  sport  of  every 
wind. 

A  thrilling  instance  of  the  result  of  such 
thralldom  is  thus  recorded :  "  A  fev/  years  ago, 
there  was  living  in  one  of  our  large  cities,  a 
young  lady,  who  was  the  only  cliild  of  wealthy 


CHRIST   AND    ADORNMENTS,  103 


and  worldly  parents.  She  was  fond  of  the  gay- 
pleasures  of  the  city,  moved  in  the  highest 
circles  of  fashion,  and  lived  as  though  there 
was  no  higher  world.  While  thus  living  in 
pleasure,  she  was  asked  bj^  a  female  friend  to 
accompany  her  to  the  Aveekly  prayer  meeting. 
There  the  Spirit  of  God  awakened  in  her  the 
consciousness  of  sin,  and  bowed  down  her 
heart  in  anguish  at  the  thought  of  her  guilt. 
Her  heaviness  of  spirit  was  soon  discovered 
at  home,  and  her  parents  were  in  consterna- 
tion lest  their  beautiful  daughter  should  leave 
the  circles  of  pleasure  for  the  service  of  God. 
They  besought  her  and  commanded  her  to 
return  to  the  gay  world.  But  a  power  above 
theirs  was  at  work,  and  she  was  sore  stricken 
in  heart.  At  last,  those  parents  actually 
bribed  her  to  attend  a  party  of  pleasure,  by 
the  gift  of  the  richest  dress  that  could  be 
bought  in  the  city  of  New  York.  She  re- 
luctantly consented,  went  to  the  festival,  and 
returned  without  one  trace  of  her  religious 
emotions.  But  the  joy  of  her  parents  was 
short.  In  another  week  their  daughter  was 
at  the  point  of  death,  and  the  skillful  physi- 
cians whom  they  summoned  could  only  tell 
them   that  there   was   no   hope.     When   this 


104  CHRIST    AND    ADORNMENTS. 


opinion  was  made  known  to  the  dying  gir], 
she  lay  for  a  few  moments  in  perfect  silence, 
as  if  surveying  the  past  and  looking  into  the 
future.  Then,  rousing  herself,  she  ordered  a 
servant  to  bring  that  dress,  and  hang  it  upon 
the  post  of  the  bed.  She  next  sent  for  her 
parents.  In  a  few  minutes  they  stood  weep- 
ing at  her  side.  She  looked  upon  each  of 
them  for  a  time,  and  then,  lifting  up  her 
hand,  and  pointing  to  the  dress,  said  to  each 
of  them  distinctly,  with  the  terrible  calmness 
of  despair,  'Father,  mother,  there  is  the  price 
of  my  soul !'  " 

Blind  to  consequences,  they  were  willing  to 
throw  the  reins  upon  the  neck  of  vanity,  all 
reckless  of  the  destination  whither  it  would 
hurry  her,  and  solicitous  only  that  their 
lovely  daughter  should  ride  in  splendor  on 
the  way.  If  her  prancing  steed  could  have 
leaped  the  grave  and  plunged  beyond  the 
hereafter,  it  might  all  have  been  well.  But  if 
the  terminus  of  life's  road  be  at  the  portals 
of  the  tomb,  rest  assured  that  we  shall  need 
an  unfettered  conscience  to  pilot  us  through 
its  gloomy  labyrinths.  But  O,  to  go  there 
with  broken  vows  staining  every  remem- 
brance of  the  past,  with  fixed  habits  of  sinful 


CHRIST    AND   ADORNMENTS.  105 


indulgence,  with  ti  confirmed  love  of  the 
world,  and  with  an  enslaved  conscience  press- 
ing with  fearful  weight  upon  the  present — to 
oro  there  thus  burdened  and   thus   haunted ! 

o 

May  God  save  us  from  the  fearful  doom. 

Again,  this  habit  prevents  spiritual  pro- 
gress. 

Said  an  aged  minister  to  his  daughter,  as 
she  was  leaving  him  just  after  her  marriage, 
"  My  child,  I  want  you  to  remember  this  one 
thing,  all  you  can  get  out  of  life  is  usefulness." 
Noble  thought,  worthy  of  a  minister  of  Christ. 
''  All  ice  can  get  out  of  life  is  usefulness.''  Then 
the  more  useful  we  are,  the  better  do  we  fultill 
our  destiny.  A  useless  life  in  a  world  where 
ail  the  tremendous  activities  of  Heaven  and 
Hell  are  struggling  for  the  mastery,  is  the 
greatest  inconsistency  this  side  of  perdition. 
A  useful  life,  when  every  one  of  its  sanctified 
energies  lifts  some  immortal  aspiration  into 
the  pure  light  of  Heaven's  hope,  is  the  most 
godlike  work  this  side  of  heaven. 

A  listless  inactivity,  when  every  influence 
flows  into  the  balance  which  poises  between 
two  worlds,  is  disgraceful  in  the  extreme,  dis- 
honoring to  God,  and  debasing  to  humanity. 
A  useful  life,  in.  the  highest  sense,  is  synony- 


106  CHRIST   AND   ADORNMENTS. 


mous  with  a  holy  life.  And  every  thing  that 
would  prevent  spiritual  usefulness  without, 
will  obstruct  the  progress  of  holiness  within. 

The  outer  Avorld  answers  to  the  inner.  A 
reciprocity  of  influence  pervades  both.  Ee- 
pression  practiced  u2)on  one  is  destruction  to 
the  other.  Prevent  the  streams  from  flowing 
out  and  the  fountain  will  sink  within. 

If  the  "  mufflers,  the  bonnets,  the  mantles, 
and  the  wimples,  and  the  crisping  pins"  help 
our  associates  to  heaven,  then  do  they  also 
assist  our  own  spiritual  advancement.  But 
if  good  old  Bunj-an's  dream  be  correct,  then 
is  our  proposition  to  the  contrary  established. 
"Then  I  saw  in  my  dream,  that  when  they 
were  gone  out  of  the  wilderness,  they  pre- 
sently saw  a  town  before  them,  and  the  name 
of  that  town  is  Vanity;  and  at  the  tov\'n  there 
is  a  fair  kept,  called  Vanity  Fair.  It  is  kept 
all  the  year  long.  It  beareth  the  name  of 
Vanity  Fair,  because  the  town  where  it  is 
kept  is  lighter  than  vanity,  (Ps.  Ixii :  9,)  and 
also  because  all  that  is  there  sold,  that  cometh 
thither,  is  vanity  ;  as  is  the  saying  of  the  wise 
'All  that  cometh  is  vanity.'  (Eecl.  xi :  8,  see 
also  i :  2-14;  ii :  11-17;  W  xl:  17.)  This  fair 
is  no  new  erected   business,  but  n    thing  of 


CHRIST    AND   ADORNMENTS.  107 


ancient  standing.  I  will  show  you  the  origi- 
nal of  it.  Almost  five  thousand  years  ago 
there  were  pilgrims  walking  to  the  celestial 
city,  as  these  too  honest  persons  are;  and 
Beelzebub,  Apollyon,  and  Legion,  with  their 
companions,  perceiving  by  the  path  that  the 
pilgrims  made,  that  their  w^ay  to  the  city  lay 
through  this  town  of  Vanity,  they  contrived 
here  to  set  up  a  fair  ;  a  fair  wherein  should  be 
sold  all  sorts  of  vanity,  and  that  it  should 
last  all  the  year  long."  "  Now,  as  I  said,  the 
wa3^  to  the  Celestial  City  lies  just  through 
this  town  where  this  lusty  fair  is  kept ;  and  he 
that  would  go  to  the  city,  and  yet  not  go 
through  this  tow^n,  '  must  needs  go  out  of  the 
world.'  (1  Cor.  v  :  10.)  The  Prince  of  princes 
himself,  when  here,  went  through  this  town 
to  his  own  country,  and  that  upon  a  fair-day 
too;  yea,  and,  as  I  think,  it  was  Beelzebub, 
the  chief  lord  of  this  fair,  that  invited  him  to 
bu}'  of  his  vanities,  yea,  would  have  made 
him  lord  of  the  fair,  would  he  but  have  done 
him  reverence  as  he  went  through  the  town. 
Yea,  because  he  was  such  a  person  of  honor, 
Beelzebub  had  him  from  street  to  street  and 
showed  him  all  the  kingdoms  of  the  world  in 
a  little  ti.me,  that  he  might  if  possible,  allure 


108  CHRIST   AND   ADORNMENTS. 


that  Blessed  One  to  cheaj)en  and  buy  some 
of  liis  vanities ;  but  lie  iiad  no  mind  to  tlie 
mercliandise,  and,  therefore,  left  the  town 
\vithout  hiying  out  so  much  as  one  farthing 
upon  these  vanities.  (Matt,  iv :  1-8;  Luke  iv: 
5-8.)  This  fair,  tlierefore,  is  an  ancient  thing, 
of  long  standing,  and  a  very  great  fair.  Now 
these  pilgrims,  as  I  said,  must  needs  go 
through  this  fair.  Weil,  so  they  did;  but, 
behold,  even  as  they  entered  into  the  fair,  all 
the  people  in  the  fair  were  moved,  and  the 
town  itself  as  it  were  in  a  hubbub  about  them, 
and  that  for  several  reasons  :     For, 

'-First,  The  pilgrims  were  clothed  with  such 
kind  of  raiment  as  vv'as  diverse  from  the  rai- 
ment of  any  that  traded  in  that  fair.  The 
people,  therefore,  of  the  fair,  made  a  great 
gazing  upon  them ;  some  said  they  were 
fools ;  some,  they  were  bedlams ;  and  some, 
they  were  outlandish  men.  (Job.  xii  :  4; 
1  Cor.  iv :  9.) 

"  Secondly,  and  as  they  wondered  at  their 
apparel,  so  they  did  likewise  at  their  speech; 
for  few  could  understand  what  they  said. 
They  naturally  spoke  the  language  of  Cana- 
an ;  but  they  that  kept  tlie  fair  were  the  men 
of  this  world  ;  so  that  from  one  end  of  the  fair 


CHRIST   AND   ADORNMENTS.  109 


to  the  other,  they  seemed  barbarians  each  to 
the  other.  (1  Cor.  ii :  7,  8.) 

•'  Thirdly,  but  that  which  did  not  a  little 
amuse  the  merchandisers  was,  that  these 
pilgrims  set  very  light  by  all  their  wares. 
They  cared  not  so  much  as  to  look  upon 
them;  and  if  they  called  upon  them  to  buy, 
they  would  put  their  fingers  in  their  ears,  and 
cry,  'Turn  away  mine  eyes  from  beholding 
vanity,'  (Ps.  cxix :  37,)  and  look  upward,  sig- 
nifying that  their  trade  and  traffic  was  in 
heaven.  (Phil,  iii  :  20,  21.) 

"  One  chanced,  mockingly,  beholding  the  car- 
riage of  the  men,  to  say  unto  them,  'What 
will  ye  buy?'  But  they,  looking  gravely 
upon  him,  said,  'We  buy  the  truth.'  (Prov. 
xxiii:  23.)  At  that,  there  was  an  occasion 
taken  to  despise  the  men  the  more ;  some 
mocking,  some  taunting,  some  speaking  re- 
proachfully, and  some  calling  upon  others  to 
smite  them.  At  last  things  came  to  a  hub- 
bub, and  great  stir  in  the  fair,  insomuch  that 
all  order  was  confounded.  ]N"ow  was  word 
brought  presently  to  the  great  one  of  the  fair, 
whoT  quickly  came  down,  and  deputed  some 
of  his  most  trusty  friends  to  take  those  men 
into  examination  about  whom   the   fair   was 


110  CHRIST   AND    ADORNMENTS. 


almost  overturned.  So  the  men  were  brought 
to  examination  ;  and  they  that  sat  upon  them 
asked  whence  they  came,  whither  they  went, 
and  what  they  did  there  in  such  an  unusual 
garb.  The  men  told  them  they  were  pilgrims 
and  strangers  in  the  world,  and  that  they 
were  going  to  their  own  country,  which  was 
the  heavenly  Jerusalem,'  (Heb.,  xi :  13-16,) 
and  that  they  had  given  no  occasion  to  the 
men  of  the  town,  nor  yet  to  the  merchan- 
disers, thus  to  abuse  them,  and  to  let  them 
in  their  journey,  except  it  was  for  that,  when 
one  asked  them  what  they  would  buy,  they 
said  they  would  buy  the  truth.  But  they  that 
were  appointed  to  examine  them  did  not  be- 
lieve them  to  be  any  other  than  bedlams  and 
mad,  or  else  such  as  came  to  put  all  things 
into  a  confusion  in  the  fair.  Therefore  they 
took  them  and  beat  them.,  and  besmeared 
them  with  dirt,  and  then  put  them  into  the 
cage,  that  they  might  be  made  a  spectacle  to 
all  the  men  of  the  fair.  There,  therefore, 
they  lay  for  some  time,  and  were  made  the 
objects  of  any  man's  sport,  or  malice,  or 
revenge ;  the  great  one  of  the  fair  laughing 
still  at  all  that  befell  them.  But  the  men 
being  patient,  and  '  not  rendering  railing  for 


CHRIST   AND    ADORNMENTS.  Ill 


railing,  but  contrariwise  blessing,'  and  giving 
good  words  for  bad,  and  kindness  for  injuries 
done,  some  men  in  the  fair  that  were  more 
observing  and  less  prejudiced  than  the  rest, 
began  to  check  and  blame  the  baser  sort  for 
their  continual  abuses  done  by  them  to  the 
men.  They,  therefore,  in  angry  manner,  let 
fly  at  them  again,  counting  them  as  bad  as 
the  men  in  the  cage,  and  telling  them  that 
they  seemed  confederates,  and  should  be  made 
partakers  of  their  misfortunes.  The  others 
replied,  that,  for  aught  they  could  see,  the 
men  were  quiet  and  sober,  and  intended  no- 
body any  harm  ;  and  that  there  were  many 
that  traded  in  their  fair  that  were  more 
worthy  to  be  put  into  the  cage,  yea,  and 
pillory  too,  than  were  the  men  that  they  had 
abused.  Thus,  after  divers  words  had  passed 
on  both  sides  (the  men  behaving  themselves 
all  the  while  very  wisely  and  soberly  before 
them),  they  fell  to  some  blows  among  them- 
selves, and  did  harm  one  to  another.  Then 
were  these  two  poor  men  brought  before  their 
examiners  again,  and  there  charged  as  being 
guilty  of  the  late  hubbub  that  had  been  in 
the  fair.  So  they  beat  them  pitifully,  and 
hanged  irons  upon  them,  and  led  them  in 
8 


112  CHRIST   AND   ADORNMENTS. 


chains  up  and  down  the  fair,  for  an  example 
and  terror  to  others,  lest  any  should  speak  in 
their  behalf,  or  join  themselves  unto  them. 
But  Christian  and  Faitliful  behaved  them 
selves  yet  more  wisely,  and  received  the 
ignominy  and  shame  that  was  cast  uj^on  them 
with  so  much  meekness  and  patience,  that  it 
won  to  their  side  (though  but  few  in  compar- 
ison of  the  rest),  several  of  the  men  in  the 
fair.  This  put  the  other  party  yet  into  a 
greater  rage,  insomuch  that  they  concluded 
the  death  of  these  two  men.  AYherefore  they 
threatened,  that  neither  cage  nor  irons  should 
serve  their  turn,  but  that  they  should  die  for 
the  abuse  they  bad  done,  and  for  deluding  the 
men  of  the  fair.  Then  were  they  remanded 
to  the  cage  again,  until  further  order  should 
be  taken  with  them.  So  they  put  them  in, 
and  made  them  fast  in  the  stocks." 

Here  we  have  the  conduct  of  the  true  chris- 
tian depicted.  Eeverse  the  scene  and  you 
need  no  painting  to  exhibit  it.  Its  original 
may  be  found  almost  anywhere,  and  mostly 
because  of  sinful  adornments. 

Lastly.  The  habit  of  adornment  subjects 
the  individual  practicing  it   to   the    ruinous 


CHRIST    AN  I)    ADORNMENTS.  113 


reaction   of  personal   influence    from    family 
companions  and  from  the  cliui*ch. 

Take  the  fashion-loving  mother  as  the  first 
example.  Yet  how  strangely  grating  sounds 
that  hallowed  name  in  such  connection. — 
Mother! 

"  The  mother  in  hei*  office  holds  the  key 
Of  the  soul;  and  she  it  is  who  stamps  the  coiu 
Of  character,  aud  makes  the  being  who  would  be  a  savage, 
But  for  her  gentle  cares,  a  christian  man." 

Yet  even  the  mother  may  so  far  forget  her 
responsibilities  as  to  tlirow  her  molding  influ- 
ence into  the  scale  of  worldly  pleasure  and 
passing  vanity.  But,  ahis !  how  often  does 
the  evil  return  upon  her  own  head. 

A  young  lady,  who  had  been  educated  by 
lier  mother  in  the  path  of  folly,  was  laid  upon 
tlie  bed  of  death.  The  past  rushed  before  her 
with  its  accumulated  hjad  of  guilt,  and  the 
fearful  retributions  of  the  future  gathered 
around  her  in  all  the  horrors  of  her  wretched 
stat^.  Her  mother  strove  to  comfort  her,  and 
spoke  of  Grod  and  mercy.  But  the  daughter 
interrupted  her  with  the  awful  exclamation, 
"It  is  too  late  to  speak  of  Clod  to  me.  You 
have  undone  me,  and  now  I  am  going  to  hell, 
and  you  will  come  after  me,"     O.  what  words 


114  CllRItDT   AND    ADORNMENTS. 


to  be   treasured  as    the   dying   accents  of  a 
child! 

llow  striking  the  contrast  presented  by  the 
filial  affection  of  one  who  had  enjoyed  a  true 
mother's  care,  and  had  felt  her  holy  influence. 

"A  mother,  good  and  gently  kind, 

Was  there  to  guide  my  infant  will-, 
She  led  my  thought,  and  filled  my  mind 

With  memories  that  linger  still. 
Many  a  prayer  to  Christ  her  Lard, 

She  said  for  me  with  streaming  eyes ; 
Many  a  good  and  holy  word. 

She  bade  me  learn  and  ever  prixe. 

•^  I  followed  sadly  to  the  tomb 

The  blessed  one  that  loved  me  so; 
Into  the  dark  and  dreadful  gloom 

To  better  lands  I  saw  her  go. 
And  with  her  went  the  best  of  joy, 

The  best  of  earth,  the  best  of  love; 
Behind  remained  the  sad  alloy 

Of  colder  hearts  for  me  to  prove.'* 

It  is  related  of  the  ancient  Carthaginians, 
that  they  had  an  idol  to  which  they  offered 
their  infant  children  in  sacrifice,  and  which 
was  so  constructed  that  when  a  child  was 
placed  in  its  arms  it  w^ould  be  dropped  into  a 
gulf  of  fire.     It  was  esteemed  of  much  conse- 

"^^  From  Enj;lestone's<  Poems. 


CHRIST    AND   ADOBNMENTS.  115 


quence  tluit  the  infant  should  be  presented 
smiling,  and  hence  the  mothers  would  use 
every  artifice  to  excite  their  pleasure,  and 
then  with  their  own  hands  would  place  them 
upon  the  idol's  arms. 

We  shudder  at  the  fearful  recital,  and  won- 
der how  such  unnatural  mothers  could  ever 
be  found. 

But  they  were  impelled  by  religious  faith 
and  superstitious  fears.  The  mother  who,  in 
a  christian  land,  presents  her  child  a  living 
sacrifice  upon  the  altar  of  fashion,  does  so  in 
opposition  to  all  the  precepts  of  her  religion, 
and  with  none  of  the  constraining  influences 
of  devout  superstition.  But  God  does  not 
sufl:er  such  violations  of  the  holiest  relations 
with  impunity.  He  records  his  reprobation 
of  them  in  the  avenging  strokes  of  his  provi- 
dence, when  some  loved  but  lost  child  of 
promise  exclaims,  "  Mother,  you  have  ruined 
me  !  "  O,  fond  mother,  how  could  thy  daugh- 
ter die? 

When  the  various  consequences  of  the  habit 
of  adornment  that  have  been  specified  in  the 
foregoing  pages,  are  seen  in  the  experience 
of  the  members  of  a  family,  then  follow,  as 
a  further  result,  peevishness,  discontent,  pas- 


116  CHRIST   AND    ADORNMENT; 


sionate  longings  for  something  still  beyond 
the  reach,  a  fretfulness  and  fault-finding  snap- 
pishness,  all  of  which  change  the  quiet  home 
into  a  scene  of  contention,  where  the  most 
unlovely  traits  of  character  are  exhibited. 
]^or  does  the  evil  stop  here.  Like  some  de- 
mon whom  she  has  called  from  his  repose,  but 
has  no  power  to  "lay"  again,  it  follows  the 
victim  even  to  her  most  retired  retreat,  and 
murmurs  and  dissatisfaction  are  the  aliment 
upon  which  she  subsists.  Again  we  quote 
"  Nothing  to  Wear/'  as  exhibiting  this  result 
in  terms  of  merited  rebuke. 

"  Oh,  ladies,  dear  ladies,  the  next  sunny  day, 
Please  trundle  your  hoops  just  out  of  Broadway, 
From  its  whirl  and  its  bustle,  its  fashion  and  pride, 
And  the  temples  of  Trade  which  tower  on  each  side. 
To  the  alleys  and  lanes  where  misfortune  and  guilt 
Their  children  have  gathered,  their  city  have  built ; 
Where  Hunger  and  Vice,  like  twin  beasts  of  prey, 
Have  hunted  their  victims  to  gloom  and  despair; 
Raise  the  rich  dainty  dress  and  the  fine  broidered  skirt; 
Pick  your  delicate  way  through  the  dampness  and  dirt; 
Grope  through  the  dark  dens,  climb  the  rickety  stair 
To  the  garret,  where  wretches,  the  young  and  the  old, 
Half  starved  and  half  naked,  lie  crouched  from  the  cold; 
See  those  skeleton  limbs,  those  frost-bitten  feet. 
All  bleeding  and  bruised  by  the  stones  of  the  street : 
Hear  the  sharp  cry  of  childhood,  the  deep  groans  that  swell 


€HRIST   AND   ADORNMENTS.  117 

From  the  poor  dying  creature  who  writhes  on  the  floor, 
Hear  the  curses  that  sound  like  the  echoes  of  Hell, 
As  you  sicken  and  shudder,  and  fly  from  the  door; 
Then  home  to  your  wardrobes,  and  say,  if  you  dare — 
Spoiled  children  of  Fashion,  you've  nothing  to  wear!" 

"  And  oh,  if  perchance  there  should  be  a  sphere, 
Where  all  is  made  riglit  which  so  puzzles  us  here, 
Where  the  glare,  and  the  glitter,  and  tinsel  of  Time 
Fade  and  die  in  the  light  of  that  region  sublime; 
Where  the  soul,  disenchanted  of  flesh  and  of  sense, 
Unscreened  by  its  trappings,  and  shows,  and  pretense, 
Must  be  clothed  for  the  life  and  the  service  above. 
With  purity,  trutli,  faith,  meekness,  and  love; 
Oh,  daughters  of  Earth!  foolish  virgins,  beware! 
Lest  in  that  upper  realm  you  have  nothing  to  wear  ! '' 

As  she  is  in  the  fjimily,  so  is  she  also  in  the 
church.  So  fur  as  her  infiiicnce  extends,  she 
draws  around  herself  associations  of  a  kin- 
dred spirit,  and  thus  transforms  the  pure  and 
sanctifying  atmosphere  of  the  Church  of  God 
into  stimulus  for  her  own  habits  of  life,  at 
the  same  time  that  she  repels  the  more  heav- 
enly spirit  of  the  earnest  believer. 

Thus  influence  reacts  upon  its  source,  per- 
petuating its  streams,  and  rendering  them 
more  copious  and  murky  by  every  day's  ex- 
perience. 

Such  are  some  of  the  results  of  the  habit 


118  CHRIST    AND    ADORNMENTS. 


of  adornment  upon  the  individual.  Of  course, 
we  can  not  exj^ect  to  see  them  all  exhibited 
in  the  experience  of  every  one  who  is  guilty 
of  the  practice,  for  such  are  the  differences 
of  temperament,  of  circumstances,  and  of 
temptations,  that  they  will  be  varied  from 
the  slightest  to  the  deepest  shade.  But  the 
grand  tendency  is  the  same,  and  the  person 
who  dares  to  brave  that  tendency  is  entering 
the  outermost  circles  of  the  fearful  maelstrom 
whose  revolving  tides  draw  nearer  and  nearer 
to  their  ingulfing  center.  Happy  the  one  who 
is  aroused  ere  his  giddy  brain  and  accelerated 
motion  preclude  the  possibility  of  escape. 

Here  let  me  entreat  the  reader  to  pause 
and  review  the  ground.  Eemember  that  the 
consequences  to  which  we  have  referred  do 
not  exist  as  mere  rhetorical  points  from  which 
to  make  a  case  b}-  a  process  of  special  plead- 
ing. On  the  contrary,  they  grow  out  of  the 
unchanging  laws  of  mind  and  spirit.  As  well 
may  any  one  hope  to  reverse  the  most  inexo- 
orable  law  of  matter,  as  to  enter  upon  a 
course  of  adornment  and  escape  the  inevita- 
ble entailment  which  the  violated  laws  of 
mind  impose.  Eemember,  too,  that  before 
the  Grod  who  is  the  guardian  of  those  laws, 


CHRIST    AND    ADORNMENTS.  119 


the  assertion  "I  don't  believe  it,"  will  be  no 
excuse.  Disprove  it  if  you  can.  Eeverse  the 
laws  of  God  and  change  the  nature  of  mind. 
Enfranchise  yourself  from  the  dominion  of 
responsibility.  Then,  and  not  till  then,  can 
the  habit  be  justified. 


CHAPTER    III. 

Ans.  II.— The  effect  of  this  habit  upon  the 
Church. 

It  curtails  her  material  resources.  Being  a 
voluntary  association,  her  resources  are  only 
such  as  the  piety  of  her  membership  may 
place  at  her  disposal.  Whatever  then  mili- 
tates against  the  piety  of  her  individual  ad- 
herents, restricts,  to  just  that  extent,  the 
amount  of  her  avails.  And  if  the  deterio- 
rating influence  be  of  such  a  character  as 
not  only  to  depress  piety,  but  also  to  absorb 
the  means  which  piety  would  command,  it  is 
all  the  more  powerful  for  evil. 


120  CHRIST    AND   ADORNiMENTS„ 


After  all  that  has  been  said,  thi3  evil  influ- 
ence of  adornment  upon  personal  religion 
can  not  be  deemed  equivocal.  And  its  effect 
iq:)on  the  material  resources  of  the  church  is 
not  less  clear.  It  is  a  fact,  which  the  arith- 
metic of  a  cliild  may  demonstrate,  that  if  a 
])erson  has  an  income  of  one  thousand  dollars, 
and  can  live  on  eight  hundred,  he  has  two 
hundred  for  benevolence  and  the  savings 
bank.  But  if  his  expenses  run  up  to  nine 
hundred  and  ninety-nine  dollars,  while  his 
income  remains  as  before,  both  the  savings 
bank  and  benevolence  v/ill  be  cheated  of  their 
dues.  This  must  be  the  case  even  where  there 
is  a  disposition  to  give,  but  when  tlie  love  of 
disphu'  has  eradicated  that  desire,  the  cause  of 
Christ  must  suffer  not  only  present  destitution, 
but  prospective  embarrassment  and  want. 

Small  as  the  individual  deficiencies  may  be, 
they  swell  when  taken  together,  to  an  aggre- 
gate of  alarming  magnitude.  One  dollar  spent 
by  each  member  of  the  christian  church  for 
needless  ornaments,  or  for  more  costly  cloth- 
ing than  is  actually  required,  would,  if  con- 
secrated to  the  cause  of  God,  pour  ten  millions 
a  year  into  his  treasury,  and  send  the  mis- 
sionary of  the  cross  to  every  tribe  of  man. 


CHRIST    AND    ADORNMENTS.  121 

''A  wise  man  scorneth  nothing,  be  it  never  so  small  or 

homely, 
For  he  knoweth  not  the  secret  laws  that  may  bind  it  to 

great  effects." 

These  squanderers  of  the  Lord's  property 
fondly  imagine  that,  somehow,  the  deticiencies 
of  the  church  ninsl  be  accounted  for  by  her- 
self, in  her  collective  capacity.  They  are 
strangely  forgetful  that  the  all-seeing  eye 
distributes  to  each  his  personal  share  in  the 
dereliction,  and  holds  him  responsible  for  it. 

It  is  mournful  to  think  how  much  remains 
undone  which  might  be  accomplished  by  the 
church  for  the  cause  of  God  and  the  good  of 
man,  were  all  expenditures  for  unnecessary 
adornment  devoted  to  his  service.  There  is 
surjjlus  wealth  enough  connected  with  the 
church  to-day  to  endow  every  institution  of 
learning  in  the  world ;  to  pay  the  indebted- 
ness of  every  church ;  to  sustain  a  missionary 
in  every  tribe;  to  give  the  Bible  to  every 
family  who  would  receive  it;  in  short,  to 
meet  all  the  material  necessities  of  the  cause 
of  Christ.  This  may  seem  an  exaggerated 
statement,  but  look  at  a  single  fact.  The 
simj^le  interest  on  the  possessions  of  those 
connected  with   the  churches  of   our   nation 


122  CHRIST   AND    ADORNMENTS, 


alone  is  about  S380,000,000  per  year.  Add 
to  this  the  interest  on  all  the  rest  of  the  pos- 
sessions of  evangelical  Christendom,  and  it  will 
be  seen  that  if  our  statement  is  at  variance 
with  the  truth  at  all,  it  M\s  far  short  of  it. 

Why  is  not  this  wealth  rightly  devoted? 
One  main  reason  is,  because  Pride  and  Fash- 
ion have  forestalled  religion,  and  while  they 
take  the  munificence,  she  must  rest  content 
w^ith  the  mere  dribblets.  Thus  God  is  wronged 
in  the  permitted  ruin  of  those  who  might  be 
saved.  And  though  the  laws  of  man  recog- 
nize man's  right  to  give  or  withhold  as  ho 
pleases,  the  laws  of  heaven  require  that  we 
shall  do  good  as  we  have  opportunity,  not 
merely  as  we  may  feel  disposed.  And  this 
command  is  just  as  binding  as  is  the  corre- 
sponding prohibition  of  evil.  "  If  thou  forbear 
to  deliver  them  that  are  drawn  unto  death, 
and  those  that  are  ready  to  be  slain  ;  if  thou 
sayest,  Behold,  we  knew  it  not;  doth  not 
he  that  pondereth  the  heart  consider  it?  and 
he  that  keepeth  thy  soul,  doth  he  not  know 
it  ?  and  shall  not  he  render  to  every  man  ac- 
cording to  his  Avorks?" 

Again,  this  habit  renders  the  church  ex- 
clusive in  her  privileges. 


CHRIST    AND    ADORNMENTS.  123 


When  the  habit  of  adornment  proceeds  to 
its  legitimate  end,  it  spreads  the  tinsel  of  its 
trappings  over  every  thing,  and  how  shall 
the  proud  millionaire,  or  splendid  Miss  Mc- 
Flimsey  worship  beside  the  sweat-stained  son 
of  toil,  or  the  pale-faced,  and  finger-worn 
seamstress?  No,  no.  Brethren  and  sisters 
they  may  be,  if  they  ever  reach  heaven,  but 
here  it  would  be  too  dei^rading  to  have  it  so. 
So  the  pure,  free,  glorious  gospel  must  be 
boxed  within  pews  cushioned  and  carved, 
must  be  proclaimed  from  marble  pulpits,  (not 
God's  own  granite  on  the  hillside,)  beneath  a 
frescoed  dome,  and  between  painted  walls. 
Its  gorgeousness  must  come,  not  from  the 
splendid  glories  of  its  heavenly  surroundings 
in  the  rapt  visions  of  a  second  apostle  to 
the  Gentiles,  but  from  the  rounded  periods 
and  beauteous  bouquets  of  the  finished  rheto- 
rician. Ye  poor,  'twere  sacrilege  for  you  to 
venture  there  !  Dare  not  the  rash  attempt. 
Go,  hear  the  gospel  where  you  may,  or  where 
3'ou  can,  but  go  not  there ! 

"  I  trod  the  hallowed  ground  that  bore 
A  christian  temple  tall  and  proud, 
When  at  each  wide  and  lofty  door 
Went  streaming  in  a  gorgeous  crowd : 


124  CHRIST    AND   ADORN MKNT^. 

A  welcome  day  bade  all  rejoice — 

A  fair  aud  ancient  festival, 
And  the  glad  oi'gan's  mighty  voice 

Shook  the  strong  roof  and  Gothic  wall. 

"Full  many  a  token  marked  the  fold 

Where  rich  and  high  believers  meet, 
The  sacred  volume  clasped  in  gold, 

The  costly  robe  and  drovv^sy  seat: 
Priest,  people,  altar,  chancel,  choir. 

Arch,  column,  "window,  porch,  and  gate- 
That  ample  fane,  from  vault  to  spire, 

Looked  solemn  all  and  calmly  great. 

"  But  mark  !     An  old  and  weary  man, 

A  stranger  clad  in  raiment  vile. 
With  failing  steps  and  features  wan. 

Went  tottering  up  the  fair  broad  aisle : 
They  cast  him  out — 0,  faithless  race  ! 

On  some  rude  bench,  unseen,  remote — 
Convicted  in  that  hour  and  place. 

Of  a  lean  purse  and  threadbare  coat! 

"Yes!  and  if  He,  who  saved  the  lost. 

Stood  fainting  on  that  haughty  floor, 
Arrayed  in  weeds  of  little  cost. 

Meek  as  he  sought  our  world  before ; 
In  spite  of  words  which  none  might  blame, 

And  works  of  goodness  freely  done, 
That  sordid  post  of  grief  and  shame 

Would  greet  Jehovah's  only  Son. 


CHRIST    AND    ADORNMENTS.  125 


"Oh,  foi*  a  prophet's  tougue  or  pen, 

To  -warn  the  great  in  wealth  and  birth, 
Who  build  their  God  a  house,  and  then 

Plant  there  the  meanest  pomps  of  earth — 
To  brand  tliat  church  Avhicli  spurns  the  poor 

From  every  vain  and  venal  pew, 
Where,  'clothed  in  purple,'  herd  secure, 

To  kneel  or  sleep,  the  lordly  few  ! 

"Give  me  the  shed,  low,  bare,  and  plain, 

AVhere  love  and  humble  truth  abide, 
Rather  than  earth's  most  noble  fane, 

Defiled  by  selfish  pomp  and  pride; 
Give  me  the  damp  and  desert  sod, 

Walled  in  by  dark  old  forest  trees, 
Hoofed  over  by  the  skies  of  God ; 

But  perish  temples  such  as  these!" 

Thus  is  it  tluit  the  phico  which  above  all 
others  should  recognize  most  constantly  the 
great  christian  truth  that  all  are  brethren, 
thus  it  is  that  the  church  itself,  consecrated 
to  the  worshij)  of  Almighty  (rod,  spurns  from 
her  bosom  the  very  classes  of  society  which 
the  Son  of  God  honored  with  his  associations 
while  on  earth.  True,  it  may  not  be  an  open, 
verbal  rejection,  yet  it  is  none  the  less  sure 
and  quite  as  destructive  to  her  true  interests 
in  the  world.  Exclusiveness  in  her  privileges 
is  too  much  at  war  with  the   essential    free- 


J 26  CHRIST    AND    ADORNMENTS. 

dom  of  salvation,  to  escape  the  reprehension 
of  the  good,  or  the  cavils  of  the  evil. 

"My  brethren  have  not  the  faith  of  our 
-Lord  Jesus  Christ,  the  Lord  of  glory,  with 
respect  of  persons.  For  if  there  come  into 
your  assembly  a  man  with  a  gold  ring,  in 
goodly  apparel,  and  there  came  in  also  a  poor 
man,  in  vile  raiment,  and  ye  have  respect  to 
him  that  weareth  the  gay  clothing,  and  say 
unto  him,  Sit  thou  here  in  a  good  place;  and 
say  to  the  poor.  Stand  thou  there,  or  sit  here 
under  my  footstool :  are  ye  not  then  partial 
in  yourselves,  and  are  become  judges  of  evil 
thoughts?"     (James,  ii  :  1-4.) 

Again,  this  habit  destroys  her  claim  to  the 
distinctive  character  of  being  separate  from 
the  world. 

Upon  the  consistency  of  this  claim  rests  all 
her  hope  of  influencing  the  world  to  paths  of 
piety.  The  world  is  too  proud  to  yield  to 
the  demands  of  Christianity',  unless  there  is 
exhibited  incontestibly  in  her  deportment, 
principles  so  opposed  to  every  thing  selfish, 
grovelling,  and  impure,  as  to  demonstrate  their 
heavenly  origin.  "Come  out  from  among 
them  and  be  ye  separate,  and  touch  not  the 
unclean  thing,'"  is  not  merely  a  command  of 


CUIUST    AND    ADORNMENTS.  127 


God,  based  upon  his  authority  to  institute 
his  own  hiws.  but  it  is  the  announcement  of 
a  i)hilosophical  necessity  as  dee})  as  the  wants 
of  man's  nature,  and  extensive  as  the  relations 
of  the  created  to  the  Creator.  Whatever  then 
tends  to  destro}^  the  distinctive  marks  be- 
longing to  the  Church  of  Christ,  not  only  ar- 
rays itself  against  the  ordinances  of  heaven, 
but  stands  opposed  to  the  felt  wants  of  the 
human  heart. 

The  church  is  designed  as  an  aggressive 
agency,  and  any  alliance  with  her  enemies, 
or  even  any  suspension  of  hostilities,  is  the 
precursor  of  defeats.  Only  in  steady,  perse- 
vering, and  unsparing  onward  movements  lies 
her  safety. 

It  is  said  that  the  standard  bearer  of  a 
Scottish  regiment,  who  was  killed  at  the 
battle  of  Waterloo,  clasped  the  colors  so  fast 
in  death,  that  a  sergeant,  after  trying  to  no 
purpose  to  rescue  them,  on  the  near  approach 
of  the  enemy  made  a  violent  eifort,  and 
throwing  the  dead  body,  colors  and  all,  over 
his  shoulder,  carried  them  off  together.  To 
that  brave  soldier  the  loss  of  his  standard  was 
equivalent  to  defeat.  So  the  church  should 
always  look  upon  any  surrender  of  her  out- 


128  CHRIST    AND    ABORNxMENTS. 


ward  badges  as  disgrace.  Her  past  history  is 
filled  with  mournful  examples  of  the  truth, 
that  only  when  "  separate  from  the  world," 
can  she  successfully  prosecute  the  great  work 
committed  to  her  hands.  \Yhen  the  external 
appearance  of  the  church  indicates  worldly 
conformity,  she  is  not  far  removed  from 
worldly  principles.  It  is  an  admitted  law 
of  nature,  that  the  surroundings  of  mind 
shape  its  development,  and  often  lix  its  des- 
tiny. By  the  same  power  of  association,  the 
worldly  influence  that  Avill  always  gather 
about  the  church  whose  laxity  invites  their 
encroachments,  will  sooner  or  later  cause  her 
to  imbibe  their  spirit,  and  then  her  powerless- 
ness  and  dead  formality  will  be  a  painted 
sepulcher  that  holds  but  "  dead  men's  bones." 
Now,  behold  the  j^rogress  of  the  evil.  Hav- 
ing curtailed  her  material  resources,  and  de- 
stroyed her  chief  defenses,  it  proceeds,  with 
consummate  skill,  to  mine  her  citadel. 

This  habit  causes  her  to  falsify  her  profes- 
sions. Those  who  compose  the  church  profess 
that  they  are  "not  of  the  world;"  that  the}^ 
are  "'pilgrims  and  strangers;"  that  they  seek 
"  a  city  which  hath  foundations ;  "  that  they 
are  crucified  to  the  world  and  the  world  unto 


CHRIST   AND   AD011NMENT8.  129 

them;  that  they  are  "dead  indeed  unto  sin, 
but  alive  unto  God;  "  tiiat  they  are  laying  up 
"treasures  in  heaven;''  that  they  are  "sepa- 
rate ;"  that  they  have  "  no  fellowship  with  the 
unfruitful  works  of  darkness ; "  that  they  are 
not  "conformed  to  this  world;  but  trans- 
formed by  the  renewing  of''  their  mind;  that 
they  have  left  all  and  followed  Christ;  that 
they  are  striving  together  with  him  for  an 
incorruptible  crown.  These  are  high-sound- 
ing professions,  but  no  higher  than  the  genius 
of  Christianity  authorizes.  The  world  con- 
cedes the  right  of  christians  to  make  them, 
as  believers  in  the  gospel,  but  demands  their 
consistent  exemplification.  If  the  life  and  the 
profession  of  christians  do  not  harmonize,  the 
world's  confidence  is  abused,  and  the  injury 
returns  in  bitter  scorn  upon  its  perpetrators. 
How  often  is  the  reproving  exclamation  made, 
"  Why  such  a  person  is  not  a  christian,  she 
thinks  as  much  of  the  world  as  any  one." 
And  often  not  only  is  the  confidence  in  pro- 
fession blasted,  but  belief  of  religion  itself  is 
sapped  at  its  foundations. 

A  lady,  who  had  been  remarkable  for 
thoughtlessness,  called  for  a  professor  of  reli- 
gion to  go  with  her  to  visit  another  professor. 


180  CHRIST   AND   ADORNMENTS. 


The  day  passed,  and  no  allusion  was  made  to 
religion.  After  taking  leave,  the  gay  person 
said  to  her  companion,  "Nothing  would  have 
induced  me  to  leave  home  to-day  but  the  ex- 
pectation of  hearing  something  about  religion, 
but  I  have  come  to  the  conclusion  that  there 
is  nothing  in  religion,  or  else  that  my  neigh- 
bors do  not  possess  it,  for  if  they  did,  they 
would  speak  to  me  about  my  soul."  In  con- 
sequence of  their  deference  to  the  supposed 
antipathy  of  their  worldly  associate,  they 
had  not  merely  lost  her  respect  for  them  as 
professors  of  religion,  but  had  driven  away 
her  serious  impressions.  For  she  then  con- 
cluded that  if  religion  was  not  worth  talking 
about,  it  was  not  worth  thinking  of. 

Such  is  the  consequence  of  worldly  con- 
formity in  falsifying  the  professions  of  the 
church.  Well  would  it  be  to  heed  the  warn- 
ings of  the  Savior,  "  Ye  are  the  salt  of  the 
earth :  but  if  the  salt  have  lost  its  savor, 
wherewith  shall  it  be  salted  ?  It  is  thenceforth 
good  for  nothing,  but  to  be  cast  out,  and  to  be 
trodden  under  foot  of  men.  Ye  are  the  light 
of  the  world.  A  city  that  is  set  on  a  hill  can 
not  be  hid.  Neither  do  men  light  a  candle, 
and  put  it  under  a  bushel,  but  on  a  candle- 


CHRIST    AND   ADORNMENTS.  131 


stick;  and  it  giveth  light  to  till  that  are  in 
the  house.  Let  3'our  light  so  shine  before 
men,  that  they  may  see  your  good  works,  and 
glorify  your  Father  which  is  in  heaven." 
(Matt.,  v:  13-16.) 

As  a  consequence  of  the  foregoing  effect, 
this  habit  dishonors  the  church  among  those 
who  are  without.  This  is  not  meant  to  refer 
to  that  contumely  and  reproach  which  the 
malicious  love  to  heap  upon  everything  reli- 
gious, and  which  is  met  by  the  precept  of  the 
apostle,  "Having  your  conversation  honest 
among  the  Gentiles  :  that,  whereas  they  speak 
against  you  as  evil  doers,  they  may  by  your 
good  works,  which  they  shall  behold,  glorify 
God  in  the  day  of  visitation,"  (Peter,  ii :  12,) 
but  to  the  dignified  scorn  that  men  must  feel, 
when  they  see  energies  which  arc  professedly 
consecrated  to  the  service  of  heaven,  pros- 
tituted by  christians  to  the  debasing  work  of 
courting  the  favor  of  that  world  which  they 
theoretically  hold  at  so  low  an  estimate,  while 
they  practically  elevate  it  by  worldly  compli- 
ances to  the  chief  place  in  their  affections. 

A  striking  illustration  of  the  effect  of  such 
a  position  was  furnished  by  the  conduct  of  a 
chief  of  a  native  tribe  on  the  Island  of  Cuba. 


132  CHRIST    AND    ADORNMENTS. 


The  Spaniards  had  conquered  the  island  and 
endeavored  to  force  the  natives  to  embrace 
their  religion.  This  chief  was  brought  to  the 
stake,  and  then  exhorted  to  embrace  Chris- 
tianity, that  he  might  be  admitted  to  heaven. 
"  Are  there  any  Spaniards  in  heaven  ?  "  asked 
the  indignant  chief  "  Yps,  but  they  are  all 
good  ones.''  "  Then  let  me  die.  I  can  not 
go  to  a  place  where  I  shall  meet  even  one." 

It  is  true,  this  is  an  extreme  case,  and  one 
resulting  from  the  adoption  of  extreme  meas- 
ures, but  it  is  the  exhibition  of  principles 
common  to  the  human  mind,  and  which  produce 
results  equally  decisive  and  fatal  in  multitudes 
of  instances.  The  common  sentiment  of  man 
is,  "  We  "want  nothing  to  do  with  a  religion 
that  will  make  us  no  better  than  we  are." 
Give  them  a  religion  whose  externals  shall 
shine  with  the  beauty  of  holiness,  and  whose 
manifold  character  shall  challenge  the  admi- 
ration of  the  world,  and  they  will  not  be  long 
in  rendering  the  homage  of  the  heart. 

Not  less  does  this  habit  dishonor  the  cha- 
racter of  the  church  with  many  of  her  own 
members.  "  There  are  always  some  who  are 
liable  to  be  hindered,  or  turned  aside,  by  such 
examples.     They  are  conscious  that  they  can 


CHRIST    AND    ADORNMENTS.  133 


not  indulge  in  such  things  themselves,  yet 
they  see  almost  the  whole  example  of  the 
church  against  them  ;  and  they  soon  conclude 
that  it  is  over-righteousness  in  them  to  be  so 
scrupulous.  They  yield;  the  conscience  is 
enthralled,  and  they  sutler  loss,  or  perhaps 
go  back  to  the  world.  Others,  seeing  such 
inconsistency,  can  not  admit  that  the  true 
christian  would  be  guilty  of  it;  and  hence 
denounce  all  such,  as  self-deceived,  or  w^illful 
hypocrites ;  and  thus  their  charity  is  blasted, 
and  Satan  gains  a  fearful  advantage  over 
them.  Would  it  not  be  well  to  ask,  vot 
whether  we  can  practice  such  things  with 
no  injury  to  ourselves;  but  "can  we  do  it 
with  no  injury  to  others?"  Paul  declares 
such  injury'to  another  to  be  "  sm  against  the 
brother,  and  sin  against  Christ!'' 

"  'But  take  heed  lest  by  any  means  this  lib- 
erty of  yours  become  a  stumbiingblock  to 
them  that  are  weak.  For  if  any  one  see  thee, 
which  hast  knowledge,  sit  at  meat  in  the 
idol's  temple,  shall  not  the  conscience  of  him 
that  is  weak  be  emboldened  to  eat  those 
things  wdiich  are  offered  to  idols;  and  through 
thy  knowdedge  shall  the  weak  brother  perish 
for  whom  Christ  died?     But  when  ye  sin  so 


134  CHRIST    AND    ADORNMENTS. 


against  the  brethren,  and  wound  their  weak 
conscience,  ye  sin  against  Christ.'  (1  Cor., 
viii :  9-12.)  The  facts  referred  to  in  this  lan- 
guage were  as  follows.  Many  of  those  to 
whom  the  apostle  wrote,  were  converted  Gen- 
tiles. While  heathen,  they  had  considered 
meat  offered  to  their  idols  as  sacred ;  and, 
"after  their  conversion,  they  thought  that  if 
such  meat  were  eaten,  it  must  be  as  sacred  to 
the  idol  still.  Others,  who  felt  that  '  an  idol 
is  nothing  in  the  world,'  regarded  such  meat 
as  common  like  other  meat,  and  to  be  eaten 
with  no  more  scruples.  But  the  apostle  pro- 
hibits it,  lest  'the  conscience  of  him  that  is 
Aveak '  (i.  e.,  who  regarded  it  as  sacred  still,)  '  be 
emboldened,'  etc.  We  have  been  thus  partic- 
ular on  this  passage,  because  it  involves  a  great 
principle  of  equal  force  in  all  ages,  viz.,  '  That 
the  lawfulness  of  men's  actions  depends  not 
Bolely  either  upon  the  lawfulness  of  the  sub- 
ject matter,  nor  upon  the  conscience  of  the 
doers  of  them,  considered  in  itself,  but,  as 
considered  with  reference  to  the  conscience  of 
others,  to  whom,  by  the  law  of  charity,  they 
are  bound  so  to  behave  themselves^  as  by  none 
of  their  actions  to  give  them  occasion  of  sin.' 
(Stackhouse,  Body  of  Divinity.) 


CHRIST    AND    ADORNMENTS.  135 


"This  principle  might  bo  abundantly  con- 
firmed by  an  appeal  to  other  scriptures,  were 
it  necessary,  but  let  us  make  the  application. 
Even  granting,  for  the  moment,  that  this  prac- 
tice is  right  in  itself,  and  meets  the  approval 
of  your  conscience,  still  you  have  no  right  to 
do  it  if  it  icounds  the  conscience  of  a  brother ; 
for,  by  so  doing,  ijou  ^si7i  against  him,  and  sin 
against  Christ.' 

*'  It  will  not  do  to  demur  against  this ;  for 
God  has  said  it!  and  with  him  be  your  quar- 
rel ;   not  with  me."     (Gift  of  Power.) 

Again,  this  habit  cripples  her  spiritual  re- 
sources. 

Purity  is  power — power  in  its  essence,  and 
power  in  its  alliances.  Purity,  as  the  aggre- 
gate of  all  christian  graces,  is  the  energy  of 
each  alone,  and  of  all  combined. 

If  love  is  power  because  of  its  union  with 
Deity  ;  if  faith  is  power  because  of  its  divine 
energies ;  if  sympathy  is  power  because  of  its 
hold  upon  the  human  heart;  if  meekness  is 
power  because  of  its  essential  fitness ;  if  pa- 
tience is  power  because  of  its  control  of  self; 
if  zeal  is  power  because  of  its  momentum ;  if 
hope  is  power  because  of  its  inspiration  ;  then 
purity,  the  transparent  ray  formed  by  the  com- 


136  CHRIST    AN1>    ADORNMENTS. 

micgled  colors  of  all  these  graces,  is  power 
made  up  of  the  blended  elements  of  all  its 
component  parts.  As  the  white  light  of  noon- 
day is  made  up  of  the  seven  prismatic  colors, 
and  as  all  these  must  be  mingled  in  certain 
proportions,  to  produce  white,  so  it  is  with 
purity.  It  must  be  a  combination  of  all  the 
graces,  and  in  certain  symmetrical  propor- 
tions. Mingle  the  colors  in  any  but  the  spe- 
cified proportions,  or  leave  out  but  one,  and 
you  have,  instead  of  the  pure  white  light, 
some  murky  tinge.  So  with  2)urit3^  N^ot  a 
solitary  grace  must  be  excluded,  not  one  must 
be  in  undue  proportion,  else  the  effect  is  spoiled 
and  the  labor  to  that  extent  lost. 

An  inharmonious  character  is  always  weak 
for  the  mightiest  purposes  of  the  soul,  and  an 
un symmetrical  nature  can  never  be  trusted 
with  the  widest  interests. 

Just  in  proportion  then  as  there  is  want  of 
development,  or  an  inharmonious  development 
of  christian  character  in  the  church,  in  the 
same  ratio  is  her  weakness.  She  is  like  an 
embattled  host  with  too  much  cavalry — unable 
to  stand  the  shock ;  or  with  too  much  infan- 
try— unable  to  pursue  an  advantage.  What- 
ever else  the  habit  of  adornment  may  do,  it  is 


CHRIST    AND    ADORNxMENTS.  137 

certain  to  develop  an  unsymmetrical  charac- 
ter, and  hence  a  weak  one.  And  were  this  a 
weakness  which  all  tends  in  one  direction,  it 
might  be  measurably  concealed.  But  its 
rough  and  angular  points  jut  out  on  every 
side,  and  present  to  the  sight  of  the  beholder, 
instead  of  the  beautiful  temple  which  the 
Prince  of  architects  has  j^lanned,  a  confused 
pile  of  huge  and  unhewn  jagged  rocks,  thrown 
as  if  by  Titans  in  mad  sport,  in  one  gigantic 
pyramid  of  disorder.  Its  very  massiveness 
may  excite  wonder,  but  who  will  be  charmed 
by  its  beauties? 

In  so  far  as  the  direct  imj^ression  of  the 
church's  externals  is  concerned,  worldly  con- 
formity utterly  ruins  it  for  good.  And  then, 
when  the  church  sues  for  attention,  she  comes 
to  the  world  in  the  forestalled  character  of 
h^'pocrisy,  conscious  to  herself,  and  believed 
by  the  world.  And  then,  when  she  pleads, 
she  does  it  with  such  an  averted  eye  and  a 
tongue  so  stammering,  that  it  were  better  not 
to  plead  at  all.  Such  a  church  dare  not  look 
a  guilty  world  in  the  face  and  urge  them 
to  come  to  the  Christ  whom  they  themselves 
have  forsaken. 


138  CHRIST   AND   ADORNMENTS. 

Thus  the  habit  of  adornment  cripples  the 
spiritual  energies  of  the  church. 

But  even  give  her  the  vantage  ground  of  an 
honest  character  in  the  eyes  of  the  irorld,  while  yet 
this  habit  is  practiced  by  her  members,  and 
still  the  proposition  that  she  is  injured  by  it 
remains  true.  For  what  can  the  church  do 
without  the  Holy  Spirit?  And  is  that  Spirit 
to  stand  at  the  beck  of  those  who  care  more 
for  the  painted  outside  than  for  the  '^  hid- 
den man  of  the  heart?"  No,  Omnipotence 
moves  when  the  helpless  and  trusting  penitent 
cries,  or  when  the  pure -hearted  believer  takes 
hold  of  the  strength  of  the  Almighty;  but 
the  selfish  and  God-dishonoring  professor 
may  lisp  his  heartless  pra^^ers  till  doomsday 
all  in  vain.  God's  blessings  can  not  be 
coaxed  down  by  a  few  condescending  so- 
called  prayers,  formed  neither  in  head  nor 
heart,  but  uttered  by  lips  that  frame  flattery 
more  than  truth,  and  speak  slander  more  than 
love.  God  will  not  dishonor  his  grace  by 
giving  it  through  such  a  channel.  Purity  is 
power.  Display  is  hollow-hearted,  hypocrit- 
ical pretense. 

The  whole  of  religion  is  comprehended  in 
two    great   points,  faith    and   practice.     But 


CHRIST    AND   ADORNMENTS.  139 


purity  is  a  condition  of  faith  in  the  church, 
and  respect  is  a  condition  of  effective  practice. 
Adornment  destroys  both. 

"A  gentleman  once  observed  an  Indian 
standing  at  a  window,  looking  into  a  field 
where  several  children  were  at  play.  The 
gentleman  asked  the  interpreter  what  was  the 
conversation.  He  answered, '  The  Indian  was 
lamenting  the  sad  estate  of  these  orphan  chil- 
dren.' The  interpreter  inquired  of  him  why 
he  thought  them  orphans.  The  Indian,  with 
great  earnestness  rej^lied,  'Is  not  this  the  day 
on  which  you  told  me  the  Avhite  people  wor- 
ship the  Great  Spirit?  If  so,  surely  these 
children,  if  they  had  parents,  or  any  j^erson 
to  take  care  of  them,  would  not  be  suffered  to 
be  out  there  playing  and  making  such  a  noise. 
No,  no.  They  have  lost  their  fathers  and 
mothers,  and  have  no  one  to  take  care  of 
them!'" 

Such  was  the  reasoning  of  the  honest-heart- 
ed, untutored  savage.  Similar  reasoning  has 
made  many  men  infidels. 


140  CHRIST    A>a>    ADORNMENTS. 


CHAPTER    IV. 

Ans.  III.  The  eifect  of  this  habit  upon  the 
world. 

First.  It  arms  the  Avorld  with  the  perpetual 
and  fatal  argument  from  inconsistency. 

As  there  is  no  surer  path  to  usefulness  than 
a  consistent  piety,  so  there  is  no  more  certain 
harvest  than  inconsistency  reaps.  The  world 
knows  how  christians  ought  to  live.  They 
have  not  read  their  Bible  for  nought,  and 
knowing  the  demands  a^j.1  provisions  of  grace, 
they  are  ready  to  judge  by  the  rule  and  plum- 
met. Any  failure  to  reach  the  Bible  standard 
is  condemned  with  unsparing  severity,  and 
every  habitual  shortcoming  is  tui-ned  by  them 
into  a  weaj^on  of  most  etfective  assault. 

The  very  indulgence  which  we  condemn  is 
the  "  chiefest  of  the  train,"  and  is  all  the  more 
destructive  as  it  is  perceived  to  be  frivolous 
and  worthless.  Not  all  the  arguments  which 
tortured  science,  or  distorted  history,  or  one- 
sided reason,  or  bewildered  philosophy,  or 
malicious  criticism  has  brought  to  bear  upon 


CHRIST   AND   ADORNMENTS.  141 


Christianity,  have  j^rodiiced  one-half  the  effect 
that  has  resulted  from  the  inconsistency  of 
her  professors.  It  was  this  that  pointed  the 
satire  of  Yoltaire  ;  chilled  into  icy  coldness  the 
philosophic  reason  of  Hume;  tipped  with  bit- 
terest gall  the  polish.ed  shafts  of  Gibbon's  pen, 
and  the  wit  of  Bolingbroke ;  excited  the  low 
scurrilily  and  infamous  blasphemy^  of  the 
miserable  and  besotted  Paine ;  that,  in  short, 
has  done  more  than  any  other  cause  to  array 
intellect  and  honesty^  against  religion.  A  fact 
illustrating  ec|ually  well  both  sides  of  this 
subject  is  related  as  follows.     "  In  the  town 

of  M ~,  in  iNTew  York,  there  lived  an  infidel 

who  owned  a  sri-.vmilh  situated  by  the  side 
of  the  highwa}'  over  which  a  large  portion 
of  a  christian  congregation  passed  every  sab- 
bath, in  s^oing  to  and   returning  from   their 


place  of  worship.  This  infidel  was  accus- 
tomed to  manage  his  mill  himself,  and  having 
no  regard  for  the  sabbath,  he  was  as  busy  and 
his  mill  as  noisy  on  that  holy  morning  as  any 
other.  It  Avas  soon  observed,  however,  thai 
at  a  certain  time  before  service,  this  mill 
would  stop  and  remain  silent,  and  appear  to 
be  destitute  of  the  presence  of  any  human 
being  for  a  few  minutes,  then  pass  on  with 


142  CHRIST    AND    ADORNMENTS. 


its  noise  and  clatter  till  about  the  close  of 
service,  when  it  again  ceased  for  a  little  time. 

It  was  soon  noticed  that  Deacon  B passed 

the  mill  toward  the  i^lace  of  worship,  during 
the  silent  interval.  It  appeared  that  the 
deacon  being  (as  all  other  good  deacons  are) 
regular  in  his  time,  the  infidel  knew  just  when 
to  stop  his  mill,  so  that  it  should  be  silent 

while   Deacon   B was   passing,   although 

he  paid  no  regard  to  the  passing  of  others. 
On    being    inquired    of,    why    he    paid    this 

marked  respect  to  Deacon  B ,  the  infidel 

replied,  '  The  deacon  professes  just  what  the 
rest  of  you  do,  but  he  lives  also  such  a  life, 
that  it  makes  me  feel  bad  here,'  (putting  his 
hand  upon  his  heart.)  '  to  run  my  mill  while 
he  is  passing.'  " 

Could  the  church  now  have  all  her  mem- 
bership like  this  good  deacon,  how  many 
mills,  and  tongues  too,  would  cease  their  clat- 
ter, while  their  possessors,  instead  of  being 
arrayed  under  the  banners  of  a  jeering  infi- 
delity, would  be  numbered  with  God's  militant 
host. 

Again,  this  habit  excites  the  suspicion  of 
the  world. 

Even  where  the  inconsistency,  though  per- 


CHRIST    AND    ADORNMENTS.  143 


ceived,  does  not  produce  its  fruit  as  detailed 
in  the  foregoing  remarks,  it  always  excites  a 
suspicion  which  is  ruinous  to  the  influence  of 
the  guilty  party,  and  often  to  the  future  hopes 
of  the  observer.  Were  human  nature  pure, 
it  would  be  prepared  to  weigh  things  in  the 
scale  of  real  worth,  and  hence  would  not 
allow  a  true  estimate  of  one  thing  to  cause  an 
erroneous  judgment  of  another,  but  as  things 
are,  it  seems  to  be  a  principle  of  human  na- 
ture to  be  suspicious  of  the  principles  of  a 
theory,  when  its  professed  adherents  are  false 
to  its  pretensions.  And  when  once  suspicion 
is  aroused,  it  is  easy  for  it  to  pass  on  to  other 
and  worse  results.  "  The  traveler  in  Switzer- 
land is  shown  the  thatched  roof  of  a  cottage 
which  divides  the  w^aters  that  flow  into  the 
Danube  and  into  the  Khine.  The  little  rain 
that  falls  on  the  one  side  or  the  other  of  this 
roof  finds  its  way  either  down  that  dark  river 
which  pours  its  turbid  torrent  through  lands 
accursed  with  the  yoke  of  oppression,  into 
the  Black  Sea,  or  it  swells  the  tide  of  that 
sparkling  river  that  flows  on  to  mingle  its 
waters  with  the  foam-crested  waves  of  the 
free  Atlantic,  bearing  on  its  bosom  the  com- 
merce of  free  States."  So  is  it  in  human  life. 
10 


144  CHRIST   AND    ADORNMENTS. 


The  narrow  line  betvv^een  our  consistency  and 
inconsistency,  often  makes  all  the  difference 
in  the  life-journey  of  those  who  look  to  us 
for  examples,  between  the  dark  and  turbid 
streams  of  guilty  worldliness  and  perhaps  in- 
fidelity, and  the  bright  and  joyous  one  of  faith 
in  Christ. 

Again,  by  this  habit  the  world  is  disgusted, 
and  the  authority  of  the  Bible  over  it  is  low- 
ered. 

"Bad  as  the  world  is,  it  still  admires  religious 
principle,  and  makes  the  inconsistent  professor 
of  it  smart  beneath  the  scourge  of  its  ridicule. 
When  we  were  of  the  world,  we  regarded  such 
practices  as  unbecoming  the  christian  ;  and, 
rest  assured,  the  world  is  no  more  lenient  or 
erring  in  its  judgment  now,  than  then.  The 
unconverted  and  the  ill-disposed  love  to  make 
such  fashionable  professors  the  scapegoats  for 
their  iniquity,  and  they  always  intrench  them- 
selves behind  their  defects,  for  safety  from  the 
shafts  of  conviction  or  remorse.  The  church 
feels  this  in  all  her  borders,  and  hence  arises 
the  despondent  cry,  '  We  can  never  prosper 
with  such  professors  in  our  midst.'  A  mon- 
strous wrong  is  here,  and  common  honesty  ought 
to  lead  such  professors  to  forsake  their  evil 


CHRIST    AND    ADORNMENTS.  145 

practices  or  leave  the  church,  that  she  may 
no  longer  be  stigmatized  by  their  example." 
(Gift  of  Power.)  ''  Lord  Rochester  told  Bishop 
Burnet  that  there  was  nothing  that  gave  hina 
and  many  others  a  more  secret  encourage- 
ment in  their  ill  ways,  than  that  those  who 
pretended  to  believe,  lived  so  that  they  could 
not  be  thought  to  be  in  earnest."  And  Fred- 
crick  the  Grreat,  who  sneered  at  all  religion, 
after  having  promised  to  promote  a  certain 
sergeant  when  he  was  pleased  with  his  faith- 
fulness to  '^his  fanaticism,"  refused  to  do  so 
when  the  man  had  abandoned  his  religious 
duties. 

8uch  is  the  frequent  result  upon  the  world 
of  evil-doing  in  the  church.  And  there  is  no 
vice  more  certain  to  produce  this  eifect  than 
the  habit  of  adornment,  because,  w^hile  marked 
with  an  inconsistency  the  most  glaring,  it 
passes  unrebuked,  nay,  even  courted  and  flat- 
tered, by  those  of  whom  better  things  are 
rightfully  expected. 

Again,  this  habit  lulls  the  Vv'orld  to  sleep 
and  renders  it  reckless. 

When  the  power  of  religion  is  discarded  by 
its  friends,  the  natural  result  is  that  it  will  be 
undervalued  by  the  world.     Their  cars  will  be 


146  CHRIST    AND    ADORNMENTS. 


calmed  by  the  ever-present  opiate  of  a  careless 
example,  while  the  wild  elements  of  their  na- 
ture will  claim,  from  the  same  example,  at 
least  a  tacit  approval,  and  rash  into  the  ex- 
tremes of  recklessness,  because  relieved  from 
wholesome  restraint.  Nor  does  it  take  the 
example  of  a  .social!}'  criminal  membership  to 
do  this.     Ii! consistency^  will  do  as  well. 

"A  mote  in  the  gunner's  eye  is  as  bad  as  a  spike  in 
the  gun. 

And  the  cable  of  a  furlong  is  lost  through  an  ill- 
wrouglit  inch. 

There  is  nothing  in  the  earth  so  small  that  it  may  not 
produce  great  things. 

And  no  ssverving  from  a  right  Hue  that  may  not  lead 
eti'vnally  astray." 

The  jQrst  step  taken,  it  needs  only  the  estab- 
lishment of  a  habit  of  unconcern  or  reckless- 
ness, and  then  no  sound  but  Gabriel's  trump 
shall  wake  the  soul  first  led  astray  by  the 
unfaithfulness  of  the  church. 

We  hesitate  not  to  affirm  that  the  world- 
liness  of  the  church  is  one  great  cause,  yea, 
the  greatest  cause  of  infidelity,  in  the  world. 
True  Christianity,  exemplified  in  the  life,  is  a 
thing  of  such  power  that  it  carries  the  con- 


CHRIST    AND   ADORNMENTS.  147 


victi/:-!.!  and  the  demonstration  of  its  divine 
source  with  it.  Few  tlicre  are  with  hurdi- 
liood  enough  to  deny  its  origin.  But  Chris- 
tianity hood-winked,  palsied,  and  caricatured, 
is  the  sport  of  the  devil  and  the  scorn  of  men. 
Away  with  the  spurious  concern,  and  give  us 
a  religion  v^diose  exterior  shall  not  brand  itself 
with  hypocrisy,  and  whose  outside  shall  not 
oelie  its  professions.  When  the  most  sacred 
services  of  religion  are  rendered  ridiculous 
by  those  who  professedly  reverence  and  enjoy 
them,  what  can  we  expect  but  disgust  and 
unbelief  on  the  part  of  the  world,  propor- 
tioned to  their  opportunities  of  observation? 
It  is  upon  this  ground  that  the  children  of 
pious  parents  are  said  to  be  wilder  and  more 
ungovernable  than  others.  The  assumption 
is  false,  so  flir  as  it  applies  to  the  children  of 
the  truly  pious.  But  the  revulsion  of  feeling 
from  the  unquestioning  faith  of  childhood, 
which  loves  to  reverence  what  seems  to  be 
reverenced  by  parents,  to  the  chilling  convic- 
tion of  the  hollo wness  of  the  pretense  ; — that 
revulsion  which  comes  just  at  the  age  when 
doubt  seems  bravery  and  skepticism  manhood, 
is  enough  to  cut  the  moorings  of  almost  any 


148  CHRIST   AND    ADORNMENTS. 


youth.  I  wonder  more,  in  view  of  this,  that 
the  skeptical  and  profligate  are  so  few  than 
that  they  are  so  many. 

We  will  not  dwell  upon  the  glaring  hypoc- 
risy of  standing  before  the  font  of  baptism, 
bedecked  in  all  the  frippery  of  fashion,  and 
solemnly  vowing  to  "renounce  the  devil  and 
all  his  works,  the  vain  pomp  and  glory  of  the 
world,  with  all  covetous  desires  of  the  same," 
nor  will  we  j^icture  the  sickening  spectacle 
presented  by  troops  of  regimentaled  commu- 
nicants, marching  in  laced,  hooped,  and  bediz- 
ened grandeur  through  the  "  long  drawn 
aisles,"  wheeling  with  a  sailing  sweep  before 
the  altar,  and  then  meekly  (?)  kneeling  to  re- 
ceive the  emblems  of  the  broken  body  and 
shed  blood  of  our  Lord.  Terrible,  indeed, 
must  be  the  moral  and  mental  perversion 
that  sees  nothing  in  such  scenes  but  a  "  de- 
cent regard  for  appearances,"  and  a  "proper 
respect  for  the  world."  If  it  be  possible  to 
paint  a  panorama,  which  shall,  in  one  sad  view, 
embody  the  deepest  degradation  of  the  church, 
and  the  highest  triumph  of  the  powers  of 
darkness,  you  have  it  in  such  life-scenes. 
[Exhibited  in  our  cities  nearly  every  Sab- 
bath.    Admission,  gratis — if  well  dressed.] 


CHRIST    AND    ADORNMENTS. 


149 


Lastl3\  This  habit  causes  an  extravagance, 
tending  to  pecuniary  embarrassment,  dishon- 
esty, perversion  of  the  social  instinct,  youth- 
far  dissipation,  domestic  broils,  conjugal  mfi- 
delitv,  a  tyrannical  and  licentious  moneyed 
aristocracy,  and  a  corrupt  and  venal  dema- 
gogueism. 

Without  the  strongest  evidence  we  should 
not  dare  to  name  such  a  fearful  array  of  con- 
sequences as  chargeable  upon  any  vice.  But 
after  all  tliat  h.as  been  deposed  concerning 
this  evil,  we  have  no  hesitation  in  thus  group- 
in  f'-  many  of  the  worst  developments  of  de- 
pravity, and  hurling  the  accusation  directly 
in  the*  teeth  of  the  indulgence.  To  attempt 
to  prove  that  it  produces  extravagance  Vv'ould 
be  insulting  to  tlic  observation  of  the  reader. 
And  that  extravagance  produces  dishonesty 
is  not  surprising  when  we  remember  the  men- 
tal and  moral  deterioration  that  is  taking 
place  within.  AVhen  the  higher  principles  of 
our  nature  are  subjected  to  the  lower,  when 
the  moral  sensibilities  are  found  in  servitude 
to  the  passions  ;  when  the  whole  law  of  inter- 
influence  is  tending  to  moral  retrogression, 
intellectual  bondage,  and  imbecility  of  the 
conscience,  it  would  be  strange  indeed  if  the 


150  CHRIST    AND    ADORNMENTS. 


multiplied  temptations,  which  the  artificial 
wants  excited  by  extravagance  present,  did 
not  at  last  secure  a  compliance. 

This,  above  all,  to  thine  own  self  be  true, 
And  it  must  follow,  as  the  clay  to  night. 
Thou  canst  not,  then,  be  false  to  any  man,'' 

The  converse  is  not  less  true.  If  we  are 
false  to  self  we  may  be  false  to  any ;  for  the 
falseness  is  based  upon  the  same  principles. 
This  is,  in  fact,  recognized  in  the  selection  of 
laborers,  clerks,  and  salaried  officers,  to  fill 
the  posts  of  responsibility  in  the  commercial 
world.  Let  the  fact  be  once  known  that  a 
man  is  living  in  a  style  above  his  means,  and 
the  e^'e  of  suspicion  is  instantly  fixed  upon 
him.  Defalcations,  swindles,  robberies,  and 
even  murders,  may  be  traced  directly  to  this 
fruitful  source  of  evil.  True,  it  is  not  the 
universal  result,  but  it  is  a  general  tendency 
so  frequently  reaching  its  fearful  consumma- 
tion in  individual  experience,  that  it  should 
awaken  the  serious  apprehension  of  every 
person  who  may  be  exposed  to  its  influence. 

Our  mothers,  wives,  and  daughters,  devel- 
ope  our  household  style  and  create  our  neces- 
sities, if  we  would  h.ave  happy  homes.  If 
they  abuse  their  position,  the  result  is  most 


CHRIST   AKD   ADORNMENTS.  151 

deplorable.  A  constant  fretting  for  some 
new  adornment  or  article  of  display  will  at 
last  affect  the  mind  of  the  husband,  and  put 
his  thoughts  upon  the  rack  to  devise  means  to 
procure  the  coveted  indulgence.  He  passes 
from  thought  to  pUin,  from  the  plan  to  its  dif- 
ficulties, and  from  difficulties  to  compromises, 
till  the  overwhelming  desire,  made  stronger 
by  every  hour's  consideration,  blinds  judg- 
ment and  silences  conscience;  and  then  fol- 
lows the  deed  of  infamy. 

The  same  effect  is  seen  in  the  youth.  His 
affections  are  interested  ;  bat  he  can  neither 
secure  the  object  of  his  choice  nor  sustain  the 
expenses  of  a  household  until  gold  is  his. 
Strive  as  he  may,  the  question  witli  him  is  at 
last  narrovred  down  to  this  :  ''  I  must  give  up 
my  hope  or  get  gold."  If  his  mental  nature 
is  already  perverted  by  the  habit  of  display, 
he  will  probably  3'ield  to  the  temptation ;  and 
then  speculation,  gambling,  robbery,  or  for- 
gery, will  be  the  means  selected.  If  on  the 
contrary,  he  renounces  his  hope,  the  social  in- 
stincts of  his  being  are  crushed,  but  only  to 
rise  Avith  greater  intensity,  and  to  reap  in  il- 
licit pleasures  and  a  dissolute  life  the  harvest 
which  has  been  sown  in  extrava2:ance.     To  so 


152  CHRIST    AND    ADORNMENTS.  '^ 

great  an  extent  has  this  evil  reached,  that  in 
the  city  of  New  York,  it  has  engaged  the  at- 
tention of  the  public  and  the  press.  With  the 
diminished  number  of  marriages,  there  is  a 
corresponding  increase  of  licentiousness,  the 
effects  of  which  will  not  stop  with  the  present 
generation.  The  children  born  in  such  a  state 
of  society,  the  puny  offspring  of  diseased  man- 
hood or  premature  age,  will  bear  in  their 
own  sicklj^  constitutions  the  curse  which  the 
law  of  God  visits  upon  the  children  for  the  in- 
iquity of  the  parents. 

Domestic  broils,  together  with  consequent 
conjugal  infidelity,  are  scarcely  less  deplor- 
able effects.  The  husband,  whose  earnings 
can  barely  meet  the  lamily  necessities,  must 
be  more  than  flesh  and  blood  to  endure 
calmly  the  endless  teasing  of  a  worldly  wife 
for  new  furniture,  because  some  Mrs.  Brown 
has  it ;  or  a  new  dress,  because  the  best  has 
been  already  worn  three  times  to  the  same 
place.  Hence  come  bickering,  fault-finding, 
recrimination,  and  all  the  evils  to  a  family 
growing  out  of  a  house  divided  against  itself. 
At  last,  the  gambling  hell,  the  theater,  the 
assignation  house,  the  common  brothel,  and 
the  practice  of  fashionable  seduction,  follow  in 


'^  CHRIST    AND    ADORNMENTS.  153 

the  train.  Let  no  one  look  upon  this  state- 
ment as  exaggerated,  because  of  the  abomina- 
tions to  which  it  refers.  It  sets  forth  a  fact, 
and  a  common  fact — the  legitimate  result  of 
the  practice  of  adornment  as  society  is  now 
constituted.  AYere  it  not  for  the  blush  of  mo- 
desty, we  could  relate  incidents  in  illustration 
which  v/ould  blanch  the  cheek  with  horror, 
and  cause  the  head  to  hang  for  the  degrada- 
tion of  humanity.  \Yhen  wives  and  mothers 
compound  their  husband's  debts  (created  by 
their  own  extravagances)  by  compromising 
their  honor  with  the  creditors,  or  when  they 
sell  themselves  for  the  adornments  which 
husbands  can  not  or  will  not  furnish,  it  is 
time  to  speak  out  concerning  the  cause  of  the 
infamy. 

The  extravagance  of  our  people  has  no  par- 
allel even  in  the  colossal  fortress  of  aristo- 
cratic nations.  Queen  Victoria  dresses  less 
expensively  than  the  wives  of  our  merchants, 
and  the  most  honored  nobility  of  England  ex- 
pend less  for  dress  and  adornment  than  our 
own  fair  dames.  As  an  illustration,  it  is 
stated  that  only  last  year  an  American  spent 
8200,000  for  a  single  dress  and  its  adornments 
for   his   Avife   in   Paris.     Her  necklace  alone 


154  OIIRIST   AND   ADORNMENTS. 


cost  $20,000;  and,  as  a  legitimate  consequence, 
her  husband  is  now  a  bankrupt. 

iNTinetj-two  per  cent,  of  ]N"ew  York  mer- 
chants fail  or  die  insolvent;  and  seventy  per 
cent,  of  them  solely  by  extravagance.  In  the 
year  1856,  two  and  a  half  millions  were  lost 
by  this  vice  in  the  city  and  county  of  San 
Francisco.  Such  facts  abound  to  an  almost 
inconceivable  extent. 

But  we  turn  to  mark  another  tendency  of 
this  evil  habit. 

Its  influence  upon  the  young  in  their  selec- 
tion of  companions  for  life  is  of  the  worst  de- 
scription. Instead  of  allowing  affection  to  di- 
rect, money  is  the  oracle  whose  utterances  are 
regarded  as  the  decrees  of  fate.  Again  let  us 
quote  "Nothing  to  Wear." 

'•So  we  ■were  engaged.     Our  troth  had  been  plighted, 
Not  by  moonbeam  or  starbeam,  by  fountain  or  grove  J 
But  in  a  front  parlor,  most  brilliantly  lighted, 
Beneath  the  gas-fixtures  we  whispered  our  love. 
Without  any  romance,  or  raptu7*es,  or  sighs, 
Without  any  tears  in  Miss  Flora's  blue  eyes, 
Or  blushes,  or  transports,  or  such  silly  actions, 
It  was  one  of  the  quietest  business  transactions, 
With  a  very  small  sprinkling  of  sentiment,  if  any, 
And  a  very  large  diamond  imported  by  Tiffany. 
On  her  virginal  lips  while  I  printed  a  kiss, 


CHRIST    AND   ADORNMENTS.  155 


She  exclaimed  as  a  sort  of  parenthesis, 

And  by  way  of  putting  me  quite  at  my  ease, 

'You  Icnow.  I'm  to  polka  as  much  as  I  please. 

And  flirt  when  I  like — now,  stop,  dont  you  speak — 

And  you  must  not  come  here  more  than  twice  in  the  week, 

Or  talk  to  me  either  at  party  or  ball, 

But  always  be  ready  to  come  when  I  call; 

80,  do  n't  pro'ao  to  me  about  duty  and  stufiF, 

If  we  don't  break  this  oif,  there  will  be  time  enough 

For  that  sort  of  thing;  but  the  bai-gain  must  be, 

That,  as  long  as  I  choose,  I  am  perfectly  free, 

For  this  is  a  sort  of  engageinent,  you  see, 

Which  is  binding  on  you  but  not  binding  on  me.'  " 

The  results  of  such  marriages  have  been 
sufficiently  depicted  above. 

There  is  a  universal  result  of  the  whohi 
thing,  which  may  now  conclude  our  statement 
of  its  evil  inHucnce  upon  the  world. 

It  creates  a  licentious  and  moneyed  aristo- 
cracy, and  a  corrupt  and  venal  demagogueism. 

When  money  is  sought  with  such  madden- 
in  2:  ener«:v,  for  the  sake  of  the  gratification 
which  it  gives,  the  feverish  craving  is  not 
confined  to  any  one  class,  but  from  the  highest 
down  through  every  rank  of  society  pours 
the  fearful  flood,  till  from  center  to  circum- 
ference, society  presents  one  scene  of  intense 
and  desperate  scrambling  after  gold,  amid  the 


156     ■  CHRIST    AND    ADORNMENTS. 


pompous  pageantry  of  fasli  ion -decked  dupes 
and  satined  buffoons.  In  such  circumstances 
money  is  power — power  in  the  hands  of  the 
heartless  few,  whose  keener  arts  or  bolder 
strokes  have  insured  success  in  obtaining  it. 
And  as  this  effect  is  developed,  the  answering 
tendency  in  the  human  bosom  to  cringe  and 
fawn  at  the  feet  of  opulence,  is  exhibited  with 
it,  till  'we  have  all  the  elements  of  our  propo- 
sition complete  in  the  experience  of  society. 
Through  the  influence  of  this  very  cause, 
our  worthiest  offices  are  bought  and  sold  as 
wealthy  demagogues  and  cringing  partizans 
desire.  Well  would  it  be  for  us  to  stop  and 
ask  ourselves  wliithor  we  are  tending. 

Extravagance  sapped  the  foundations  of 
every  empire  of  antic^uity,  and  has  ruined 
more  than  one  of  modern  date.  It  is  fast 
blighting  our  freedom  by  the  corrupted  mo- 
rality of  society,  and  gathering  about  our  own 
future  a  cloud  of  deeper  gloom  than  any  other. 
^'If  the  past  has  lessons  of  instruction  for  us,  we 
may  find  in  the  close  connection  of  opulence, 
the  love  of  display  and  extravagance,  with 
the  rapid  decline  of  national  character  and 
strength,  in  Babylon,  Tyre,  Sparta,  Eome, 
Spain,  etc.,  the  beacon  which   would  warn  us 


CHRIST    AND   ADORNMENTS.  157 


of  the  reefs  iijDon  which  thc}^  were  ^\^.'ecked. 
This  single  evil  is  doing  more  to  undermine 
our  institutions,  curtail  our  benevolence,  and 
limit  the  salvation  of  the  gospel,  than  all  other 
causes  combined."     (Gift  of  Power.) 

Surely  every  person  who  feels  his  interests 
identified  with  the  good  of  the  race,  must  look 
upon  all  such  influences  not  merely  with  dis- 
trust, but  with  the  abhorrence  which  they 
deserve.  Nor  will  he  permit  his  mind  to  be 
blinded  by  the  thought  that  things  so  small 
and  apparently  unimportant  in  themselves, 
can  not  be  justly  charged  with  the  results 
detailed  in  the  preceding  pages,  lleject  not 
the  conclusions  till  you  have  swept  away  the 
arguments  upon  which  they  are  built.  And 
if  perchance  they  should  be  found  valid, 
they  Avill  furnish  but  another  instance  in  this 
world  of  wonders,  when  insignificant  causes 
liave  rolled  on  to  the  sublimest  or  most  dis- 
astrous Insults. 

AYe  entreat  you,  then,  dear  reader,  to  pon- 
der well  the  foregoing  pages,  and  endeavor 
not  to  silence  the  voice  of  reason  and  con- 
science in  a  resort  to  ridicule,  as  foolish  as  it  is 
impotent  to  shield  you  from  the  consequences, 
both  here  and  hereafter,  of  rejecting  truth. 


158  CHRIST    AND    ADORNMENTS, 


ciiaptp:r  v. 

It  is  with  a  feeling  of  sadness  that  we  ap- 
proach the  conclusion  of  our  work, — not  that 
^Y0  are  apprehensive  of  any  real  %veakness  in 
the  argument ;  but  we  are  aware  of  the  deceit- 
fulness  of  the  human  heart,  and  not  strangers 
to  the  exceeding  difficulty  of  banishing  an 
evil  which  is  fortilied  by  the  hp.bits  of  years, 
and  regarded  almost  as  a  household  god  by 
thousands  of  its  devotees.  Well  has  one  said: 
"  AYe  are  not  now  for  the  first  time  to  learn 
that  this  subject  is  one  upon  which  it  is  diffi- 
cult to  touch  without  giving  ofiense  ;  a  hope- 
less one,  perhaps,  where  the  incurable  frenzy 
of  the  multitude  renders  the  reform,  even  of 
tlie  few,  a  desperate  enterprise.  "What  can 
be  said  of  the  morality  of  this  fantastic  orna- 
ment, that  ridiculous  deformity,  and  the  other 
hideous  appendage,  which  would  have  any 
weight?  It  is  vain  to  discuss  the  moral  evil 
in  the  fatal  constraint  applied  here,  and  the 
frightful  enlargement  made  there,  and  the  dis- 
gusting transformation  of  God's  beautiful 
w^orkmanship  wdiich  fashion  effects  every  ivhere. 
It  is  in  vain  to  appeal  to  the  standard  which 


CillllSr    AND    ADORNMENTS.  159 

God,  nature,  and  common  sense  have  ap- 
proved. Their  opniions  on  the  point  arc  all 
chaff  when  they  conflict  with  the  decrees  of 
those  vrhom  fashion  dabs  with  the  magnificent 
and  imposing  title  of  the  icorld.  The  reply  to 
all  that  is  urged  is  the  stereot^^ped  one: 
'  We  niaj  as  well  be  out  of  the  world  as  out 
of  the  fashion.'  It  is  in  vain  to  return  for 
answer,  and  to  jj/'ove  that  to  be  in  ftishion  is 
the  readiest  way  to  get  out  of  the  world. 
Every  man's  eye  gives  ocular  demonstration 
of  It.  Every  member  of  the  medical  faculty, 
at  home  and  abroad,  would  qualify  to  the  fact 
under  oath.  Many  a  dissection  has  furnished 
the  proof;  many  a  death-bed  of  the  young 
and  lovely  has  told  the  mournful  tale  ;  many 
an  early  grave  has  uttered  its  fearful  warn- 
ings. What  is  all  this  but  chalf,  when  opposed 
to  the  despotism  of  fashion? 

'■  If  it  were  an  army  of  barbarians  that  had 
ijivaded  our  land,  and  were  cutting  off  in  their 
bloom  the  thousands  Avhoni  God  intended  to 
be  the  mothers  of  the  next  generation,  we 
would  meet  them  with  well-appointed  armies, 
and  send  them  quickly  into  the  pit ;  if  it  were 
the  pestilence,  we  would  fast,  and  pra}',  and 
weep;  if  it  were  Christianity  herself  that  de- 
ll 


160  CHRIST    AND    ADORNMENTS. 


manded  one-half  of  such  human  sacrifices,  the 
alleged  authority  of  Heaven  could  not  support 
it  against  the  indignation  of  pitying  human- 
ity, and  it  would  perish  amid  the  cry  that 
would  echo  from  the  Atlantic  to  the  Pacific. 
But  lo !  since  the  wide-spreading  destruction 
is  dealt  out  by  a  few  hundreds  of  the  silliest 
people  in  Paris  and  London,  the  besotted  wor- 
shippers of  this  'goddess  of  semblance  and  of 
shade,'  we  must  submit  in  silence — and  our 
daughters  must  die !  Keligion  would  have 
some  thing  to  say  in  the  premises,  if  her  voice 
were  worth  listening  to.  Pity  and  humanity 
would  speak,  if  they  could  be  heard;  but 
since  their  influence  can  not  reach  the  case,  it 
is  to  be  wished  that  the  pride  of  Christian 
women  might  be  invoked.  That  may  per- 
haps save  them.  A  proper  pride  might  make 
them  wish  to  appear  comely  in  the  eyes  of 
the  other  sex.  Well,  then,  let  them  have  the 
good  taste  to  remain  as  G-od  made  them.  God 
does  not  make  women  as  Isaiah  describes 
them  (chapter  iii.  16,  etc.),  nor  the  deformi- 
ties into  which  modern  dressmakers  torture 
them.  These  are  the  creations  of  fashion, 
which  brings  ever}^  thing  into  vogue  by  turns, 
but   good    sense,    decency,    and    virtue;    and 


CHRIST    AND    ADORN  MENTvS.  161 


pride,  if  nothing  else,  one  might  suppose, 
would  prompt  the  modest  and  virtuous  to 
scorn  to  imitate  fashion's  votaries,  since  those 
votaries  scorn  their  imitation. 

"The  leaders  of  the  ton  are  running  as  fast 
as  they  can  to  keep  out  of  the  way  of  the 
'  vulgar,'  whom  they  despise ;  and  the  vulgar 
are  running  as  ftist  as  they  can  in  the  career 
of  imitation,  to  keep  up  with  the  leaders  who 
despise  them.  Thus,  month  after  month,  and 
year  after  year,  is  this  preposterous  chase 
kept  up,  at  the  expense  of  countless  millions, 
at  the  sacrifice  of  moral  principle,  time,  com- 
fort, health,  and  life,  and  to  the  disgrace  of 
the  Christian  name:  and  they  that  run  in  this 
race  have,  when  it  ends,  to  give  an  account  of 
themsehes  to  God!  To  what  conclusion,  then, 
does  such  a  view  bring  us  ?  It  is  mad  to  fol- 
low fashion  :  it  may  be  rash  to  oppose  her ; 
but  it  is  neither  rash  nor  mad  to  despise  her. 
Let  her  votaries,  if  they  will,  pay  to  her  the 
passive  and  implicit  service  which  she  exacts; 
but  Christian  women  should  scorn  to  follow 
their  lead,  and  renouncing  this  despicable 
and  hurtful  vanity,  take  care  to  dress,  as  well 
as  conduct  themselves,  with  the  simplicity 
and  gravity  which  become  their  purer  charac- 


162  CHRIST    AND   ADORNMENTS. 


ter  and  diviner  hopes." — (Protestant  Church- 
man.) 

Would  to  God  this  appeal  might  prove 
successful!  Surely  an  evil  that  paralyzes  al- 
most every  arm,  and  palsies  the  energy  of  near- 
ly all  good  influence,  and  threatens  at  no  dis- 
tant day  to  obliterate  all  the  landmarks  of  vi- 
tal "  Christianity,  must  he  of  sufficient  magni- 
tude to  awaken  the  earnest  solicitude  of  every 
true  lover  of  the  sacred  cause.  Were  it  con- 
fined to  a  small  locality,  or  to  a  single  class,  it 
might  be  uprooted,  or  at  least  curtailed  in  its 
progress,  and  restrained  in  its  influence. 

"But  pervading,  as  it  does,  all  places,  and 
commanding  the  hosts  of  every  rank,  it 
S2:iread8  its  tides  of  desolating  worldliness 
wherever  the  cross  casts  its  shadow,  and  tri- 
umphs most  within  the  sacred  precincts  of 
God's  own  sanctuary.  Its  upas  breath  is 
every  where  instilling  its  subtile  poison  into 
the  life-current  of  the  young  convert,  and 
transforming  his  warm,  active  zeal,  and  ear- 
nest prayers,  and  burning  love,  into  the  cold, 
apathetic  breathings  and  fitful  starts  of  this 
charnel  dream  land  of  his  soul :  and  it  calls 
the  myriads  of  modern  Israel  to  dance  around 
the  Golden  Calf  of  their  own  making,  while 


CHRIST    AND   ADORNMENTS.  163 


their  offended  God  from  Sinai  beholds  tlieir 
base  ingratitude.  O  !  '  when  will  he  arise  to 
shal^e  terribly  the  earth  ?' 

'•But  the  remedy!  Where  is  that?  Chiefly, 
fellow  Christians,  in  you!  The  Church  au- 
thorities may,  and  ought  to  do  some  thing  to 
prevent  all  such  accessions  to  her  membership 
hereafter;  but  they  already  swarm  within  her 
pale.  Let  your  light  shine.  Be  the  first  to 
renounce  the  unhallowed  practice,  and  ere 
long  the  sacred  leaven  will  work  out  through 
the  masses  of  the  Church  and  purify  the 
whole.  Ministers  here  have  a  most  solemn 
duty."— (Gift  of  Power.)  Yet  who  of  these 
ministers  has  lifted  up  his  voice  like  a  trum- 
pet, and  showed  Israel  their  transgressions 
and  the  house  of  Judah  their  sins? 

To  you,  O  man  of  God,  I  make  my  first  ap- 
peal ;  and  it  shall  be  in  the  language  of  Him 
who  sent  thee : 

"  Son  of  man,  I  have  made  thee  a  watchman 
unto  the  house  of  Israel :  therefore  hear  the 
word  at  my  mouth,  and  give  them  warning 
from  me.  When  I  say  unto  the  wicked,  Thou 
shalt  surely  die;  and  thou  givest  him  not 
warning,  nor  speakest  to  warn  the  wicked 
from  his  wicked  way,  to  save  his  life;  the 


164  CHRIST   AND  ADORNMENTS. 


same  wicked  man  shall  die  in  his  iniquity  ; 
but  his  blood  will  I  require  at  thine  hand. 
Yet  if  thou  warn  the  wicked,  and  he  turn  not 
from  his  wickedness,  nor  from  his  wicked 
way,  he  shall  die  in  his  iniquity  ;  but  thou 
hast  delivered  thy  soul.  Again,  When  a 
righteous  man  doth  turn  from  his  righteous- 
ness, and  commit  iniquity,  and  I  lay  a  stum- 
bling block  before  him,  he  shall  die  :  because 
thou  hast  not  given  him  warning,  he  shall  die 
in  his  sin,  and  his  righteousness  which  he 
hath  done  shall  not  be  remembered ;  but  his 
blood  will  I  require  at  thine  hand.  Never- 
theless if  thou  warn  the  righteous  man^  that 
the  righteous  sin  not,  and  he  doth  not  sin,  he 
shall  surely  live,  because  he  is  warned  ;  also 
thou  hast  delivered  thy  soul." — (Ezek.  iii: 
17-21.) 

From  the  pulpit  and  the  altar  I  turn  to 
fathers,  husbands,  brothers,  sons.  Eegard 
not  this  thing  as  unworthy  of  your  attention. 
There  is  not  a  financial  project  known  to 
man ;  there  never  has  been  an  economical 
plan  proposed  by  statesmen  ;  there  can  not  be 
found  a  remedy  for  a  pecuniary  evil,  whether 
national,  social,  or  individual,  which  can  com- 
pare   in    importance   with    a    scheme    which 


CHRIST    AND   ADORNMENTS.  165 


would  remove  this  deep-rooted,  universal 
curse.  I  saw  a  friend  driving  a  span  of 
splendid  bays.  I  asked  him  what  they  cost 
him.  "Eighteen  thousand  dollars."  "Why, 
how  is  that?"  "Well,  when  I  sold  my  old 
horses  and  bought  these,  my  harnesses  and 
carriage  did  not  correspond:  bought  new. 
Then  my  barn  was  too  shabby  for  such  a 
team:  built  new.  Then  my  house  was  too 
poor  beside  my  barn;  so  I  built  a  new  house. 
Then  the  old  furniture  would  not  do.  So,  al- 
together, my  span  has  cost  me  eighteen  thou- 
sand dollars."  This  only  illustrates  the  gen- 
eral principle  which  runs  through  every  item 
of  expenditure  in  social  life. 

But  fathers,  husbands,  pardon  me,  for  in 
the  moneyed  aspects  of  the  case,  I  have  neg- 
lected these  purer,  holier,  more  tender  rela- 
tions recognized  in  the  very  names  by  which 
I  address  you. 

O  father,  those  lovely  daughters,  whose 
smiles  are  sunshine  to  thy  burdened  spirit, 
and  whose  light-hearted  gleefulness  drives 
dull  care  away,  those  daughters  are  even  now 
exposed  to  the  fearful  evils  which  have  been 
depicted  in  the  foregoing  pages.  Whether 
they  realize  it  or  not,  they  have  a  right  to 


166  CHRIST    AND    ADORNMENTS. 


demand  protection  from  jowy  hands.  Yea, 
their  very  loveliness  does  plead  for  your  jeal- 
ous watchcare,  as  only  the  tender  endear- 
ments of  such  relations  can  plead.  And  you, 
doting  husband,  would  you  save  the  gentle 
disposition  of  your  loving  wife  from  being 
soured  and  spoiled,  then  assist  her  in  the  bat- 
tle against  this  omnipresent  evil.  For  rest 
assured  that  she  will  need  your  word  of  ap- 
proval and  encouragement. 

To  philanthrojjists  of  every  class  the  subject 
appeals  with  an  earnestness  of  utterance  in- 
tensified by  its  neglect. 

The  development  of  other  evils  may  be 
more  glaring,  and  hence  may  attract  most  of 
your  attention.  But  this  is  all  the  more  dan- 
gerous, because  so  secret  and  unsuspected. 
Do  you  believe  the  conclusions  established  in 
this  book?  Then,  in  the  name  of  humanity, 
bestir  yourselves.  Strike  at  the  root.  Sound 
the  tocsin  of  alarm.  Arm  an  exterminating 
crusade.  Down  with  the  foe  of  our  hearth- 
stones, our  hearts,  and  our  souls. 

The  woman  who  is  not  by  very  nature 
a  philanthropist  is  an  unnatural  creation. 
Here,  then,  in  making  our  appeal,  we  expect 
an    audience.     O    ve    who    bear   the   blessed 


CHRIST   AND    ADORNMENTS.  167 


name  of  mother,  listen  while  we  plead. 
One  who  responded  to  that  call  once  knelt 
with  her  little  boy  in  prayer.  Ere  he  had 
seen  his  eighth  summer  she  died.  But  in 
after  life  her  pure  spirit  watched  over  him, 
and  at  last  led  him  to  the  cross.  He  became 
a  minister,  and  by  his  labors  Claudius  Bu- 
chanan, one  of  the  apostles  of  missionary 
effort  in  India,  and  the  instrument  of  awaken- 
ing Judson  to  the  wants  of  India,  was  con- 
verted. Scott,  the  commentator,  and  Wilber- 
force,  the  champion  of  African  freedom,  and 
the  author  of  that  '•  Practical  View  of  Chris- 
tianity," which  made  Legh  Kichmond  a 
christian,  were  both  led  to  Christ  by  him. 
That  boy  was  the  Ecv.  John  Newton,  and 
that  young  matron,  whose  early  efforts  thus 
gloriously  prospered,  was  his  mother.  Mark 
here  the  workings  of  that  great  law  of  inter- 
influence  to  which  Ave  have  so  often  alluded. 
In  1798,  a  vessel  bound  to  sea  was  detained 
near  the  Isle  of  Wight  by  a  change  of  wind. 
The  Eev.  Mr.  Crabb,  a  Wcsleyan  chaplain, 
went  on  shore,  and  preached  from  the  text, 
"Be  ye  clothed  with  humility."  It  was  the 
w^ord  of  life  to  Elizabeth  Walbridge,  the 
"  Dairj'man's    Daughter."      Legh    Richmond 


168  CHRIST    AND    ADORNMENT.^. 


wrote  her  memoirs,  and  tbey  have  been  in- 
strumental  in  saving  hundreds,  beside  raising 
up  three  entire  churches  in  Armenia.  And 
still  the  work  goes  on.  O  what  a  result  from 
a  mother's  prayers! 

Mother,  behold  thy  influence,  and  remem- 
ber it  is  equally  as  potent  for  evil  as  for  good. 
The  Jewish  mothers  sacrificed  their  jewelry 
for  the  temple  at  Jerusalem.  Even  the 
heathen  women  of  Ephesus  gave  their  orna- 
ments for  a  temple  to  Diana.  Shall  it  be  said 
that  you  love  Christ  less?  Shall  the  noble 
purposes  of  infinite  mercy  be  defeated  for 
want  of  woman's  sympathy  ?  Shall  this  habit 
of  adornment,  the  foundation  of  all  vforldly 
conformity,  be  suffered  to  spread  itself  abroad 
for  want  of  your  efforts  ? 

If  these  considerations  do  not  move  yon, 
at  least  for  the  sake  of  self-preservation, 
arouse  yourselves  from  this  stupor.  Can 
you,  dare  you,  face  the  responsibilities  of  life 
with  such  a  sin  eating  away  your  piety,  de- 
stroying your  self-respect,  and  ruining  you 
for  the  future  ?  You  may  say  you  can  not 
believe  so  many  good  christians  would  indulge 
in  the  practice  if  it  is  such  a  sin.  But  this 
is    begging   the  question.     It  is  making  the 


CHRIST    AND    ADORNMENTS.  169 

single  fact  of  their  inconsistency  a  sufficient 
rejoinder  to  all  the  evidence  that  has  been 
adduced,  as  well  as  overlooking  the  fact  that 
there  have  been  in  darker  days  rum-drinking 
christians  and  patriarchal  polj^gamists.  But 
now  the  light  shineth,  and  if  now  j^ou  trim 
to  the  world  you  deliberately  balance  proba- 
bilities of  eternal  ruin,  and  invoke  the  doom 
of  those  against  whom  Sodom  and  the  queen 
of  the  south  shall  arise  in  judgment,  for  sin- 
ning in  greater  light  and  against  greater 
grace. 

Beside  all  this,  if  not  convinced  now,  no 
power  of  logic  and  no  array  of  facts  would 
convince  you.  Few  doctrines  of  your  creed, 
whatever  it  be,  have  ever  been  presented 
to  your  mind  with  an  equal  amount  of  evi- 
dence. And  the  mental  injury  which  must 
result  from  a  willful  blindness  to  such  testi- 
mony can  scarcely  be  appreciated. 

Surely,  the  young,  the  lovely,  the  sympa- 
thizing will  not  deny  their  aid.  Especially 
the  young  christian,  in  the  fervor  of  first  love, 
will  not  refuse  to  sacrifice  for  Christ. 

Now  look  upon  the  sin.  It  squanders  the 
means;  misspends  the  time;  perverts  the  judg- 
ment ;  cultivates  selfishness  ;  corrupts  the  will ; 


170  CHRIST   AND    ADORNMENTS. 


excites  the  passions;  chills  the  sympathies; 
hardens  the  heart;  degrades  the  mind;  vio- 
lates vows;  increases  love  of  the  world  ;  cre- 
ates hahits  of  sinful  indulgence;  enslaves  the 
conscience;  prevents  spiritual  progress;  and 
exposes  to  the  ruinous  reaction  of  its  influence. 

All  this  for  the  individual. 

For  the  church.  It  curtails  her  resources; 
destroys  her  claims;  falsifies  her  professions; 
dishonors  her  character;  cripples  her  energies  ; 
and  renders  her  exclusive  in  her  privileges. 

As  respects  the  world.  It  arms  it  wnth  the 
fatal  argument  of  inconsistency;  excites  sus- 
picion ;  creates  disgust;  renders  reckless;  lulls 
to  sleep;  and  encourages  an  extravagance 
which  produces  pecuniary  embarrassment, 
dishonesty,  perversion  of  the  social  instincts, 
youthful  dissipation,  domestic  broils,  conjugal 
infidelity,  a  tyrannical  and  licentious  moneyed 
aristocracy,  and  a  corrupt  and  venal  dema- 
gogueism. 

Have  these  conclusions  been  established? 
If  not,  which  have  failed,  and  where  is  the 
weakness?  I  beseech  you  act  intelligently 
upon  this  subject.  What  more  can  be  needed, 
— nay,  what  more  could  be  furnished  to  show 
the   utter,  intrinsic,  unchanging  hostility  of 


CHRIST   AND   ADORNMENTS. 


171 


this   indulgence   to   the    cause  of  Christ  and 
hunianit}"? 

Inaction  is  assent  to  the  crime.  Compro- 
mise is  treachery  to  heaven.  Willful  rejec- 
tion  of  the  truth  is  eternal  ruin.  What,  then, 
will  you  do?  Whatever  you  do,  remember 
that  tastes  are  so  variable  that  no  standard 
can  be  fixed  for  all  except  the  simple  one  of 
exclusion:  "Whose  adorning  let  it  not  be,"  etc. 
First  of  all,  divest  yourself  of  tlie  indola- 
trous  appendages.  Then,  if  you  wish  to  ex- 
change them  for  a  treasure  in  the  heavens 
that  foiled  not,  you  can  do  as  did  a  wealthy 
and  refined  lady  who  heard  a  portion  of  this 
essay  read  in  manuscript.  She  sent  for  a 
minister  and  gave  him  her  ornaments  to  be 
sold  for  the  assistance  of  the  poor. 

Christ  and  humanity  plead.     Eeader,  what 
shall  be  thy  response? 


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OFFICE  AND  DEPOSITORY  OP  THE 

gmericini  lleform  f  rnct  ani  §oxiIv  Smu% 

No.  28  WEST   FOURTH   STREET. 

Cincinnati,  March,  1858. 

The  American  REFORii  Tract  and  Book  Socikty  had  its 
origin  in  the  fact,  that  American  Slavery  was  receiving  no 
adequate  notice  from  any  of  our  national  publication  socie- 
ties, and  its  issues  have  accordingly  consisted  largely  of 
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as  rapidly  as  possible,  that  the  whole  country,  especially  the 
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Society,  its  Constitution  covering  the  broad  ground  of  the 
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only  because  the  danger  from  that  source  is  now  most  immi- 
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GEO.  L.  WEED,  Cor.  Sec'y  and  Treasurer. 


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